


I Can See The Perfect Sky

by Frin



Series: Torn [2]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-30
Updated: 2019-11-23
Packaged: 2021-01-13 22:49:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 31,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21238052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frin/pseuds/Frin
Summary: Sequel to Torn. The trials and tribulations of a mixed species relationship.





	1. Chapter 1

“Leave me alone! I need to sleep, just a little longer, okay?”

“Rose?”

“Please…let me…I’m exhausted!”

“Rose?” Her eyes fluttered open and she glared at him.

“I’m knackered! Get. Out. Of. My. Head!” She punched each word at him.

“I’m not, I wasn’t!” His face was a picture of confusion.

“Oh, come on! It wouldn’t be so bad, but you’ve been messing around all night! You know what I’m like if I don’t get my full eight!”

“Rose…it isn’t me…can you feel someone?”

“Seriously…not you…then who?” The Doctor looked a little crestfallen.

“May I?” he asked moving his fingers towards her temples. She nodded and closed her eyes as he moved gently into her head.

She was aware of a little dancing light and got the sensation of someone laughing even though she couldn’t hear it. Then the Doctor spoke gently.

“Hello, have you come to meet us?” he whispered. Rose felt a soft flutter in her head that matched the one in her belly. Her eyes snapped open and stared into the delighted grinning ones that belonged to her Doctor.

“Is it?”

“He’s decided he needs to make contact…he’s ready. You just didn’t realise.”

“Hello, little one,” she whispered stroking her stomach and the fluttering got a little stronger, the light a little warmer. Then the Doctor’s voice took over inside her, speaking in a language she didn’t understand but knew what it meant. She drifted with the little life, soothed by the musical sounds of her life mates tongue shaping around those ancient words.

The next thing she remembered was being rudely awoken by the same tongue being used in far less elegant words right in her ear.

“Doctor! Really, should you be using such language in front of the little one?” she said in shocked tones.

“Fast asleep, wore him out! We’ve been playing for four hours solid…now it’s your turn!” he breathed into her neck as he nibbled down it.

“And what makes you think I want to play?”

“You always want to play!” He disappeared under the sheets and struck a chord that made her cry out. She pulled the sheets up and looked down at him. He lifted his head and grinned wickedly. She sighed and lay back, giving in all too easily as he had anticipated; enjoying the feelings of the letters he was undoubtedly writing with his tongue.

As she gasped for air and shuddered he kissed his way back up her body, over her small baby bump and each swollen breast.

“Hello! “ He grinned arriving at her face and planting a sloppy kiss on her lips.

“I swear you do that every other morning just to check my hormone levels!” she said wiping the juices off her mouth.

“Maybe partly, it’s very nice as well and very good exercise for my tongue!” he responded, settling himself between her legs.

“Well, that is a bonus, as if your tongue needed any more exercise!” He silenced her in one quick movement and they lost themselves in each other for a while until their bodies lay replete and wrapped in one another’s and he was humming happily into her hair.

“What are we up to today?” she sighed, sliding her fingers through his hair and massaging his scalp.

“Well, you made another appointment with Martha. It’s today.” He was humouring her and she knew it. There was nothing he couldn’t offer her by means of ante-natal care on board the TARDIS, but the human side of this relationship wanted to do this in the human way.

“Okay, we’re off to Cardiff, then!” she said moving to get up.

“But Rose, there’s plenty of time yet! We can play a little longer, surely?”

“Nope! I have to do a urine sample and have a shower!”

“How lovely! I’ll start the shower!”

“And where will that end up?”

“You going off me Rose?” he pouted and she turned to him, sitting in the bed, his chest naked and looking completely rejected.

“Ain’t never going to happen, but I am exhausted, Doctor. This pregnancy is hard work and you don’t seem to be letting up! It is now a case of Rose Tyler and the Doctor in the TARDIS…shagging! I’m five months pregnant and this little soul kept me awake for a long time last night! What is it, am I too appealing when I’m getting this fat?” He looked at her standing by the bed completely naked, ruffled and with an after-glow. Her belly stood out proud and prominent and her breasts heavy with darkening nipples.

“You’re not fat, Rose! But you are unbelievably very sexy when you’re pregnant! I half don’t want to go and see Mickey and Jack because I know what they’ll be thinking!”

“So, we stay here and go for the record? How many times we can do it in one day?”

“Now, there’s a challenge! We could aim for the Guinness book of records!”

“Stop it! I’m going to do my sample and if you want to join me in the shower, you’re more than welcome. Then we are going to Cardiff for my check up and to see our friends, right?”

“Whatever you say Rose!” he grinned knowing that this was a compromise he could cope with.

Martha was very happy to see them and conducted the check-up in a thorough manner. It was when she got the scanner out the Doctor started to get tetchy.

“Rose, I’m really not happy about this equipment.” He was shaking his head and fiddling with buttons. Martha batted his hands away, shaking her head.

“It’s state of the art, Doctor, better than any hospital on the planet. I know what I’m doing!” The sound of double heartbeats filled the room and the Doctor stilled as Rose grabbed his hand. Then he looked at Martha.

“I’m just not sure what affect the scan will have on his brain. His telepathy kicked in last night. It could frighten him!”

“Can’t you tell him?” asked Rose.

“He’s asleep, besides, how would he understand?”

“It will be fine, Doctor. Thousands of people have their scans every day! I need the visual to reassure me!”

“But, Rose, the fact that he made contact last night proves that he’s fine!” He looked at her face and slumped down in to a chair, defeated. “Go on then, any worries and you switch it off immediately!” Martha nodded and caught Rose’s eye. Rose shrugged as her eyes rolled slightly.

The machine kicked into life and Martha squirted the cold gel onto Rose’s exposed stomach. The image flickered onto the monitor. They could see his perfect shape curled neatly up and the Doctor soon became engrossed in the measurement’s Martha was taking.

Suddenly Rose jumped and her whole stomach convulsed.

“Doctor!” she shouted. The image on the screen was moving frantically and a tiny face could be seen staring at them. The Doctor jumped up towards Martha.

“Turn it off! Turn it off!”


	2. Chapter 2

Rose woke up in their bed. She was disorientated and her hands immediately went to her stomach feeling for her little bump.

Relief shot through her as she clasped her belly, her whole psyche alive with the presence of their son.

How did she get here? She sat up and looked around. No Doctor. She got out of bed and pulled on her robe. The corridors seemed so long and empty. Unfriendly almost.

“Doctor!” she called but there was no answer. She continued down to the console room. It was strange that he hadn’t answered. She wondered if something awful had happened.

He was standing by the console, face dead-pan and staring into space.

“Doctor?” she said tentatively, now clearly disturbed by his attitude. His eyes turned towards her. All she could feel was a deep, deep rage.

“Are you well?” His voice was cold and strained. He sounded bitter and far removed from the loving partner she had last been with.

“What happened?”

“You and your human friends… they terrified him! Just as I said. He panicked.” His eyes remained cold and hard. She stared at him not knowing quite what to say.

“And that’s my fault, is it?”

“I asked you not to… and you manipulated me! You are so… human! Twisting me round your little finger to get what you want! Our son could have been born prematurely, could have died; because of that primitive equipment!”

“Human? Doctor, that’s exactly what I am! What did you expect?”

“I expect you to listen to what I have to say! He isn’t human!” He pointed viciously at her stomach.

“I do listen!”

“I know more than anyone in this entire universe on how you should be progressing! I know just by touching you exactly what you need! Why should you need to question that?”

“I don’t!” A tear escaped her eye and she brushed it away furiously. He remained where he was.

“You treat me like I’m some geeky, foolish scientist who needs to be humoured… rolling your eyes at me! You and Martha, both!”

“I don’t! I lo…”

“Yes, I know… you keep saying! Our son is the most important thing now and you only thought of you!”

“Fine! I’ll make sure he comes first in future!” She sobbed and left the room at speed, by-passing their bedroom and heading for her old one. She shut the door firmly behind her and begged the TARDIS to lock and hide it while she took stock.

*********

He looked at the empty space where she had stood for only moments before he went after her.

He made straight for their bedroom expecting to find her in an hormonal heap on their bed. The room was uncomfortably empty, the bed neatly made and everything overly tidy.

He sat down on the bed and put his head into his hands as the rage he had been harbouring subsided. He had been too harsh, he knew it. He was fed up of having to play this game. The one where he pretended he didn’t know exactly what was happening to her body and their baby.

But, he admitted to himself; upsetting her like this was no better for her and their unborn son than that primitive ultra-sound.

He took a deep breath and went looking. He spent the next three hours searching.

**********

She wept on her pink bed for a while and then pulled herself together, knowing that it wouldn’t be any good for their unborn child.

Silly, obstinate, angry Timelord! She smiled weakly. He had only been frightened. Their baby was important to both of them. It was just so unfair that she had got pregnant so quickly! She wanted to share his life completely and his life involved an awful lot of trouble and running, where would she stand once they had the baby?

The reason she insisted on seeing Martha once a month wasn’t medical at all. She was the only human female she could talk to. The only one who knew all the ins and outs of them.

She missed her mother and trying to locate the doorway was proving difficult. Jackie had told them on that beach that it would take them two years. Such an awful lot was going to happen in that time.

If he had explained his worries about the ultra-sound properly then she would never have insisted. But this wasn’t just about the ultra-sound, was it?

She didn’t want them to argue. She felt hurt and almost excluded by his reaction, but she knew she couldn’t hide away from him forever. He would work himself into a terrible state.

She was also worried about what had happened back at the Hub and how he had treated their friends.

She went to her door, took a deep breath and opened it; with the full intention of slipping quietly back to their bed without him noticing.

He was sat on the floor with his back to the door and he fell backwards as she opened it. He jumped up and faced her.

“Rose… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry! I just lost it! I was so frightened, I thought I was going to lose you both!”

“We just frightened him… we shouldn’t, but it’s going to happen sometimes. It goes with the life style!”

“I just felt so out of control… I don’t like it!”

“I know. I’m sorry that I didn’t listen. Where you awful to Martha?”

“Yes. And Jack. And Mickey. I hit Mickey!”

“Why?”

“He wouldn’t let me past!”

“But, Doctor you can’t do stuff like that! We should go back and make sure they’re okay!”

“Yes… first though, Rose, I think we need to talk.”

“We do?”

“Oh yes, we need to discuss exactly where we’re going in this and what both our expectations of it are.”

“You’re scaring me, Doctor!”

“Rose, it’s fine. I’m not leaving you anywhere. I’m bound to you forever, you know that. But I think we both have worries that we aren’t airing and it’s time we did.”

“Yes, you’re right. Here?”

“No, it’s high time you ate… your sugar levels are down. We might as well head to the galley.” He put his hand out to her and she stepped forward and stumbled into him. “See?” he said pulling her close.

“That’s nothing to do with sugar levels… most couples get to have really good make up sex after they row!”

“Really?” he grinned at her in interest her as his arms encircled her more tightly.

“Yes. You wouldn’t want to deprive me of that right, would you?” Her voice had lowered to a very attractive husk.

“No. Absolutely not.” She pulled him into her pink bedroom and pushed him onto the bed. 

Suddenly her hormones were out of control and she wanted him, right then. His eyes rounded in awe as she turned into something wanton and driven, ripping his clothes off and then exposing her glorious naked self to him. She hadn’t initiated sex in months and this was a pleasant surprise. He lay back grinning as this example of very human woman took advantage of him in the best possible way.


	3. Chapter 3

“Here it is!” Jack said as the familiar noise hummed around the Hub. The wind rushed around the five people who were all stood waiting with bated breath. Jack folded his arms and sucked in his mouth, trying to look the picture of authority. As the door opened and Rose poked her head out, he lost his stance and moved quickly to her, pulling her into her arms in utter relief.

Martha let out a deep breath and moved beside them, joining in with Jack’s relief and fuss over Rose. Mickey remained back, watching the door through a puffed-up eye. Ianto and Gwen quickly busied themselves doing other things, although it was very patent that they were eager to see what the Timelord had to say for himself.

The Doctor sheepishly came from the doors and took in Mickey’s eye. He walked right up to him.

“I’m so sorry… I lost it… it was Rose, you know?”

“Yeah… I know… bloody good hook you got there!” Mickey still remained sullen and eyed the Doctor warily. The Doctor shifted his eyes over to Rose who was still in Jack’s arms.

“Think you can put her down now Jack!” he called, but was rewarded with a glare as Martha strode over to him with a look on her face that would almost put Jackie Tyler to shame. He backed off a little, bracing himself for a slap.

“What do you think you were playing at? Behaving like a great big adolescent! Scared us all to bits! And poor Mickey was out cold for an hour!”

“Martha... I was scared and angry… I thought I was going to lose them both!”

“Well, so did we! We’ve been waiting here for hours!”

“Really? But I set coordinates for just after… how long?”

“Five and a half hours,” replied Martha. The Doctor nodded his head as Rose met his eyes and grinned. He resisted the urge to return it to her and turned back to Mickey.

“Seriously, Mickey… I was in a panic… I needed to get her back to the TARDIS quickly… nothing here would save either of them if it were as vital as it looked.”

“Well, great, that’s really reassuring to know!” Martha said the words, but all eyes were turned to him in alarm.

“Well, I didn’t want to panic anyone!” he stuttered.

“Heaven forbid that you might do that!” The sarcasm that oozed from Martha was entirely lost on the Doctor as he eyed Jack who was still holding onto Rose for dear life.

“Really, Jack! Stop it!” His voice raised slightly and Jack smirked as he pulled her in tightly to him and inhaled her scent.

“You smell delicious, sweet cakes… like you just… oh, you didn’t?” Jack pulled back from Rose and studied her flushed face. She dropped her eyes in shame and blushed further still.

“What, Jack?” Martha asked.

“They couldn’t be arsed to come and tell their friends that they were fine… too busy doing the deed…”

“Jack!”

“Unbelievable... we’ve been stood here for hours and you two are at it like rabbits!” said Jack. Martha stared at the Doctor who actually did flush slightly pink this time.

“I really did set the coordinates for straight after we left!” he mumbled, trying to look apologetic and failing miserably.

“Obviously your ship is as disgusted with you as we are!” said Jack, who actually looked like he was about to laugh. The Doctor caught his tone and grinned despite himself which wasn’t the best of ideas as Martha looked furious and left the room very quickly, heading towards her med bay. Rose pulled herself free of Jack and went after her.

“Well, Boss… think you outdid yourself this time!” said Mickey. 

The Doctor turned to him and studied the swollen eye. “Could mend that in a jiffy?” he muttered, drawing near, but Mickey pulled back shaking his head.

“No way! I intend to wear my war wounds with pride, mate! If you don’t want to witness it, then you can bugger off in your blue box!”

“Alright, I really am sorry… but you don’t know what it was like for me… the baby in my head, screaming and all I could think was that I was going to lose them both and you not letting me past! Then when I had calmed the baby I was so angry for allowing the human intervention… I took it out on her… she… I… we needed…” he trailed off and looked from Mickey to Jack almost desperately. Jack and Mickey both began to grin at the same time, satisfied that the Doctor was genuinely remorseful.

“If I was in your shoes, I probably would have stayed away a lot longer,” said Jack with a smirk, “Rose looks amazing… there is something about pregnant women… and did you see the size of her...” Jack looked at Mickey who grinned and began to nod emphatically.

“Oi! You can’t talk like that about Rose!” He interrupted them, shocked at their words and then he caught sight of their teasing smiles and shook his head, “it’s going to be a while before I can live this down, isn’t it?” he said and, again, they both nodded over-eagerly.

***************************

“So, all along he’s been playing some elaborate game with the whole ante-natal thing?”

“Well, yes, but it wasn’t for nothing, not really.”

“Oh? I mean, he’s told you that everything you need is there, that human medicine isn’t advanced enough to help you. Why would he do that? It’s not like him at all!”

“No? I think you’re wrong. It was fine while he was in control and he knows how lonely I’m finding it without my mum… I mean a girl needs to share something like her first pregnancy with her mum, doesn’t she? He is all I need, really.”

“But?” Martha turned to Rose. They were both sitting together on the med- bay bed, legs swinging.

“Bringing me here to see you for regular check-ups is bringing me into female contact with one of the females he trusts most in the entire universe.”

“You could have fooled me, the way he reacted when the baby started to panic!”

“But, Martha, he did actually voice his opinion about the scan. He just went along with it hoping that he could intercept with telepathy. It just all happened so fast and he panicked.” Martha said nothing, but her face relaxed a bit.

“I used to be so jealous of you!” she said after a while. This time Rose said nothing, but she nodded her understanding. Words about him weren’t always necessary.

“Well, you have Tom now… how’s married life going?”

“Oh, fine… he’s taken to the transfer well. Living ones lives around shifts is hard. We make sure we see each other properly at least once a week.”

“I couldn’t imagine not spending every moment of my life without him.”

“Yeah… that’s the way it is with him… Tom and I, we’re human. Our relationship is secure. I don’t mean yours isn’t, but… life with the Doctor… it’s like balancing on a knife edge, isn’t it?”

“It can be. I see what you mean. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Rose, have you thought what life is going to be like once the baby is born? I mean, you can’t exactly go and rescue the universe with a sprog attached to your hip, can you?”

“We haven’t actually had this discussion yet… that’s the next thing on the agenda after you lot.”

“Do you think he'll bind you to the TARDIS?”

“Over my dead body!” retorted Rose, but she stopped abruptly realising the seriousness of these words.

“Well, you do need to know how it goes. Maybe you’ll pick up some au pair along the way?”

“I’m not sure I like the sound of that either. Would be awkward to share our space with anyone else now!”

“I rather think that’s the inevitable!” Martha grinned and lowered her eyes to Rose’s swollen abdomen. 

Rose grinned cheekily. “Ah, well… always got my best girlfriend to rely on, ain’t I, Auntie Martha?” 

Martha looked stunned and then a slow smile formed on her lips. “Best friend, seriously?”

“Yep… we gotta stick together… keep that lot in line!” Rose leaned over and squeezed Martha’s hand. 

“Me and Rose Tyler… best friends… who’d have thought?” She pushed Rose’s shoulder with her own and both laughed happily.


	4. Chapter 4

Rose was making a cup of tea in the Galley when the Doctor walked in smiling calmly. She glanced at him nervously, but the look he gave her was confident and meant to reassure her.

He sat down and she placed a large, steaming mug in front of him. Then she took the seat opposite him and cradled her own mug in her hands. 

“Don’t look so worried, Rose, it's fine.”

“Yeah? Is that your fine or mine? I mean, why do I feel that you’re gonna tell me that I’d be better off in Cardiff for the next sixteen years?”

“Well, you would be wrong in feeling that!”

“How on Earth can we continue this funny old life with a baby in tow?” She didn’t meet his eye, but continued to stare miserably into her cup. He leaned over the table and grabbed both of her hands in his.

“This is no ordinary baby we’re having, Rose,” he said softly and she looked up into his serious, brown eyes.

“Of course it’s not! It’s our baby! I get that! But, what about the birth? The nursing? What about school? I mean, I can hardly tag along saving worlds, running for our lives with a babe attached to my nipple, can I?”

“It conjures up a marvelous picture, but it isn’t going to be like that. Physically, you are the one to take all this on. But I am as integral to this child’s development as you are. I am needed. The only place that you are going to give birth is here, with me. And, I’m going to be here right through all the post natal care too. This child of ours needs us both. We will both be taking a break.”

“What if there is an emergency? What if the whole universe is at stake?”

“Time machine, Rose. The TARDIS will take us to the safest point in time when the time comes. Anything that crops up while we’re away, well Jack has quite a team there, doesn’t he?”

“Okay, so we have the baby out of time… which makes me wonder how we celebrate his or her birthday, but apart from that… what about after? What about when you get itchy feet and the wanderlust kicks in? What about our child’s education?”

“Rose… there is no school in this universe that could undertake our child’s education. I am taking full responsibility for it. Well, me and the TARDIS. And you. As for the itchy feet, yes, of course I will want us to resume our travels, but you forget. Once the nursing period is over we should have cracked the gateway to the parallel. Our child will have grandparents. An extended family.”

“So there _will_ be dumping?”

“No! Oh good grief, no! If we travel, we travel as a family. The TARDIS is more than capable of providing the baby with everything it needs! Even babysitting if the case arises! What I meant by that is, quite clearly, we are going to continue to travel. Your mother’s message proves it and also, we are going to continue to add to our family. Obviously the life we pattern out for ourselves works for us!” Rose contemplated what he said and then shook her head.

“But… a child! I mean is that responsible of us?”

“Oh, Rose… you have to think outside the box… this baby… it’s something entirely new. It will be a Baby of Time. It will develop much faster. Indeed, by the age of eight, we were taken from our families, made to look directly into the Untempered Schism and packed off to the Academy. Honestly, if you thought about the aspects of safety when raising a child of any species, well, you wouldn’t let them cross the street! Did you really think that I would just abandon you to gallivant around the universe doing good deeds and having adventures without you? The universe can manage without us for a while, we have... need... to go through this together!”

“That’s really what you want?”

“More than anything! I’m not going to pretend it won’t be hard on both of us. A Baby of Time in the first year is extremely demanding. An Absorbaloff springs to mind, in fact. Like a piece of blotting paper, very high powered blotting paper! It will hardly sleep and it will develop so much faster than an ordinary human. Blink of an eye to you, well almost! There’s another reason why I have to be here with you. Our child would run you ragged. We’ll be locking brains more and more as he or she develops and when he or she is born… oh! Oh! Oh! That’s it!” he stood up and dug his fingers through his hair in full light bulb-moment mode.

“What? That’s what, Doctor?”

“Oh, my God, why didn’t I think of that before? It’s been staring me in the face!”

“What, Doctor? You’re scaring me!” 

He looked down at her and strode to her side, dropping to his knees beside her, a look of pure ecstasy on his face.

“Rose… when Gallifrey was still there, we were able to pass from dimension to dimension. It was like going for a stroll in the park. I took it for granted. We were able to do this because we used our abilities to manipulate the parallels together. It was all part of our huge telepathic range. Of course, it disappeared with the Time War.”

“Because there was only one of you. One voice couldn’t break through?”

“Exactly! You are good, Rose Tyler!”

“Well, you only take the best, said so yourself. So now there will be two of you? But our baby will be… a baby! Surely it won’t be able to?”

“Our baby will need as much mental stimulation as we can give it. It will be the perfect exercise for us! Oh yes, I see it now, that’s how we get back… our baby is the key!”

“You won’t need me… you’ll have it covered… I’ll be left out… the stupid ape human mother!”

“Rose, don’t be silly… we’ll be a family. Our child will need us equally, but sometimes in different ways. Same as we need each other. Don’t go reading things into this. Our child is important, but not more. We are, and always will be, a unit. Nobody more or less necessary. Remember that.” Rose stared at him, watching his mind ticking over. Clearly he was much more interested in his theory than trying to make her feel more adequate. 

She began to grin madly, unable to suppress the pure joy she felt for her life mate’s inexhaustible brain. He was so him. Oblivious of her need to be more reassured than he already had and moving on to the next challenge in their life.

He stopped and caught her smile. “What?” he asked, his own grin beginning to spread across his face although he didn’t know why.

“You.”

“Me what?”

“Big Time Lord brain… still can’t multi-task, can ya?”

“Sorry?”

“C’mere!” She pulled him to her and kissed him. He pulled back and grinned, then got to his feet and pulled her up.

As they walked up the corridor towards their bedroom he spoke softly.

“My family is more important to me than anything, Rose, you know that, right? You’ve been my family for so very much longer than you realise. Don’t ever think you’re inferior, or spare or anything like. You’re my greatest gift and you’re giving us the sweetest blessing.”

“Shut up… think we’re both responsible for this sweet blessing!” She stroked her bump and smiled sideways at him. His hand instantly covered hers, smoothing across the stretched material. She was shocked to see the emotion so very dark in his eyes,

“We’ve come so far… sometimes I… oh, how close I came to losing you forever and…” She stopped and pulled her hand away from his covering his mouth and stopping his words.

“Don’t… that’s gone… we don’t need to dwell on it ever again. Really, it happened and nobody can be held responsible. We’ve moved on from it. It isn’t something I want in the fabric of our happily ever after!”

“Our happily ever after... is this it?”

“Oh, I think so, I mean there’ll be moments, I’m sure, but on the whole, I would say this is where it begins!” The Doctor grinned and nodded, then a cloud passed across his face.

They moved into the bedroom and she looked at him in question.

“Thing is, Rose… human life span… so short… I want to be completely selfish. We did discuss it a few months ago, remember?”

“Oh, yes, we talked of human trampolines!” she laughed sitting down on the bed and patting the space beside her. He sat down heavily and turned to her earnestly.

“I’m serious. I want some balance within this, It was the thing that drove me away before. The thought of losing you.”

“I said that I would consider the options, Doctor and I meant it. The thought of you alone without me is enough. I promised you forever and I meant it. However, at the moment I’m young and pregnant and in need of expressing my love for you in the most primitive way! We have plenty of time to go down that road! Honestly, stop worrying… first wrinkle, I’ll be demanding you moisturize me!” He grinned at her joke, but she could see the worry behind the smile. She shook her head and kissed him.

“I love you, Rose Tyler,” he whispered a little breathlessly despite his superior respiratory bypass.

“Quite right too… come on… run us a bath, the TARDIS had enlarged it to incorporate my ever-growing body, the cheeky mare!” The Doctor grinned and got up heading towards the bathroom.

“Actually I asked her to… it was beginning to get a little cramped in there!” He ducked into the bathroom laughing, before the pillow hit him. 

Rose smiled and stripped off, pausing to pose in front of the mirror, moving firstly from her face, checking for tell tale signs of ageing and then down to her extended stomach. Her bump was getting much bigger and she studied it carefully unaware that he was watching her from the doorway. It wasn’t until he came up behind her and kissed her neck that she realised she was being watched. His hands moved around her waist and held her bump.

“So beautiful, and all mine.”

“Yep… all yours… forever!”


	5. Chapter 5

She was shaking a little.

“This is silly! I mean, you’ve been in my head hundreds of times before! Why am I so unnerved by it?”

“Because it’s new and different… it involves someone else. Someone who is a stranger and is so not a stranger at the same time. Because this isn’t sexual and we only really seem to use our bond on that level.”

“Not always… I reminded you about the muffins only yesterday!”

“Oh, yes, sex and muffins, I was forgetting!”

“Don’t tease me!” She pouted petulantly and he felt the warmth in his heart almost burn. His hands were caressing the naked bump in front of his face and he could sense her arousal even now.

“Teasing is good!” He smiled, resting his cheek against her proud belly and smiling up at her. 

She smiled back and blushed a charming shade of pink. “So, how do we begin this, then?”

“Well, I've given this some thought and I think the best way is for you to remain passive and observe what I do.”

“Like some kind of vessel?” she snorted.

“Rose that is exactly what you are, though, anyone carrying offspring is… that’s something to be proud of!”

“I suppose, it just sounds very… dormant?” 

He smiled again and shook his head, “He or she knows you far better than he or she knows me!”

“Why do you keep saying he or she, Doctor? I mean, when you first made contact, you called it him?”

“I couldn’t tell the sex at that point of development, I just assumed a sex for him for easier communication at that point. The baby’s sex will be very apparent to both of us as we get to know him…. or indeed, her!”

“Oh, I did wonder… do you think it’s a boy then?”

The Doctor looked at her with a secretive smile and shook his head gently, “Shall we see if we can find out now? He or she is jumping about inside there, it’s a perfect opportunity?” His eyes were dark and excited and Rose could have been forgiven for mistaking it for something entirely different as her body quivered with its own physical agenda. She dared not speak at that moment and slowly nodded her head, tensing up immediately.

“Rose, you have to relax, there will be no way that we can do this without you cooperating… is something making you uncomfortable about it?”

“Well, I am a little worried that my primitive humanness and my enhanced sex-drive might get confused and, to be honest, I don’t know how appropriate that would be!” He turned and kissed her belly with a laugh and moved his body up hers, levelling his face with her face and gazing into her big hazel eyes.

“Humans! You never cease to amaze me! You spend a huge proportion of your lives in the pursuit of sexual conquest and, indeed, in reproduction! But, as soon as you are successful, you become coy and unsure about it! Rose, my sweet, it is natural and our baby will not be tainted by our naturalness! Indeed, he or she will be reassured that his or her parents have a strong bond. That he or she is created out of pure love!” His eyes were misty and Rose knew that this meant more to him than he was saying. This was an entirely new experience for him too.

“Sorry,” she whispered, lowering her eyes. 

He moved forward and kissed her deeply. “You don’t need to apologise for being honest with me, Rose, you are right to make that distinguishment and you really have no need to worry… I mean, we won’t be shagging like bunnies in front of him or her when he or she is actually born!”

“Good. But... we still will, won’t we?” she said the latter as an afterthought.

“You try and stop me!” He stopped suddenly and bit his lip, his eyes clouding with doubt, “I didn’t mean that, I mean, you can stop me whenever... I mean…” 

She placed her fingers across his stuttering mouth and shook her head gently, “I never want you to stop, right? Remember that and stop beating yourself up with it!” she whispered. Their kiss was long and passionate and would probably have led onto exactly what they had been talking of had the Doctor not felt the baby bump kick against his own stomach. He pulled back laughing.

“Impatient little thing!” he exclaimed, looking down between their bodies. Rose nodded her agreement.

“We better see whether this works, then?” she said quietly.

He pushed into her head gently and spoke softly. “Just relax and watch, I will tell you what you can do to join in when the time comes. Nice and gently… it will be a new experience for all of us, okay?” He wandered around in her head until he found an area he felt comfortable in and then he settled. 

At first he drew a rainbow and swept it across Rose’s consciousness. Its colours were muted and pale and Rose was aware of a sweet, almost flowery smell in her nostrils and gentle chiming notes vibrated her being.

The colours separated and a pale yellow emerged from the centre of it gradually getting stronger in its tone as the other colours faded away. The Doctor played about with the yellow line, making it swirl and dance to the music. This continued for some time and then Rose became aware of a niggling feeling and a tiny tentative line of yellow slowly joined the stronger and larger one that the Doctor controlled. A dance between the two began. The Doctor making patterns and the baby mimicking his every movement.

So entranced was she at her baby’s ability to copy the Doctor that she didn’t hear him talking to her at first.

“Visualise your own line, Rose, match the colours and come and join in. Smell the aroma and hear the sound of our baby’s aura. Join in, my darling, join in!” he whispered to her several times before his words got through.

Gradually, she pictured a yellow line of colour to compliment the two she could see and she tentatively drew it into their own, now rather complicated, dance. She moved with the sound of the chimes and breathed the almost heady aroma in. 

The baby joined her movements and she became aware of him, cheeky and inquisitive and ready to meet his mother and his father in this special bond.

She knew that she was crying tears of joy as they changed the colours from pink to blue and then back to yellow and she knew that her Doctor was too. Before long the baby tired and gradually faded until he was just a comfortable vibration in her head.

The Doctor gently slipped out of her conscious and they blinked at each other happily. Rose felt so tired, her limbs heavy on the bed.

“He’s still here?” she asked quietly, stifling a yawn.

“He always was, but now you know where. I love you, Rose Tyler, you’re so clever!”

“He is a he,” she said with a satisfied smile and promptly joined her baby in a much needed sleep, leaving the Doctor smiling proudly down at his beautiful soul mate, the vessel of their unborn Time baby son.


	6. Chapter 6

They were floating in space. It was strange, the feeling of nothingness that even seemed to infiltrate into the TARDIS itself.

A deathly, hollow silence.

She held his hand tightly as he opened the doors wide. They stood, looking out at the rippling colours and the rock debris floating by.

“If it’s in a Time lock, then I don’t understand how we can be here?”

“It’s all in the co ordinates… Gallifrey is there alright… just not here, not now.”

“Sorry...” The Doctor looked sideways down at her quizzically.

“Why sorry? Nothing to apologise for… it was an intelligent enough question.”

“I didn’t want to make this sadder than it already is.”

“I know… surely, though, the aim is to inject something different here and if there is a gateway to other dimensions remaining… well then it takes on a new meaning, doesn’t it?”

“You always manage to find the right words, don’t you?”

“When I can manage to say them, yes!”

“So, what are we actually looking for?”

“I’m not entirely sure… it’s a big old constellation… it could take us years… we will find it whatever it is… I keep imagining some kind of archway… more likely a sort of shimmer, like a mini vortex… like the wall before the void closed…” Rose shuddered at the memory he had invoked.

“Right… nice…”

“Well, one thing’s for sure, we know we find it!”

“Two years?”

“Two years from then, Rose which was six months ago… we’re only looking at a year and a half and we’re going to be so busy!” 

Rose smiled and rested her hand on top of her rather magnificent baby bump. His automatic reaction was always to follow suit. 

They stood observing the cascading lights of Kasterborous and the rocks that seemed so graceful as they danced about in the wake of the Time lock that had left them there. She leant back against him and breathed deeply. His arms came around her and his chin rested upon her head.

They stood like this for quite some time.

“I think that’ll do for today,” said Rose eventually.

“We haven’t started looking!” protested the Doctor weakly.

“I think you did really well today, let’s not push it, yeah? Plenty of time. Besides, me ankles are puffing… I need to put me legs up!”

The Doctor closed the doors reverently and took Rose’s hand. Leading her to the newly decorated living room. He sat her down and pulled her legs up and plumped cushions underneath them. He was a little quiet, but Rose had sort of expected this and took the opportunity, once he was settled beside her to probe him with questions about her pregnancy.

“Doctor?”

“Mmmmm?” His eyes were half closed as he answered her.

“This baby?” His eyes opened and he looked at her, now interested and puzzled.

“What about this baby?”

“When IS he coming? You’ve been so vague and I know in human terms that I’m due about now, but you don’t seem that bothered. You speak like he won’t be around for a while?”

“He’ll come when he’s ready.”

“See, that’s the vague I meant… couldn’t you just say about… you know, an approximation?”

“I’m really not sure… you were right when you said natural childbirth isn’t an exact science.”

“Well, your people must have known how long they would have to wait before there was a baby?”

“We were loomed, Rose, I keep telling you this… my people _made_ childbirth into an exact science. They took complete control of it. Took everything wonderful and natural out of it.” The irony of this statement was that he was rubbing Rose’s swollen feet as he made it.

“How long were you loomed for, then?” The Doctor looked a little uncomfortable.

“Promise not to get upset?”

“Doctor..?” Rose sat up and the Doctor shook his head.

“A year… we were loomed for a year… my people felt it safer for the infant to be protected for that long… I happen to agree in this case.”

“I’m gonna be like this for another three whole months?”

“Rose, you promised not to get upset!”

“I made no promise, none at all! Three more months of looking like a beached whale… is our baby so very different physically than a human baby? Except for the two hearts business!”

“Yes! Yes he is… fact of the matter is, Rose that ALL human babies are born too soon… the mother simply cannot cope and has a premature birth. Those last three months are so crucial in his development… you have to do this my way in this case!”

“The mother simply cannot cope? How will I cope… physically? Will he grow more… will my body be able to take the strain?”

“You are coping, Rose… I have made sure that your body can accommodate. That’s why I insist on you having all those supplements. He will grow, yes, but not a great deal. It isn’t so very long, not really.” The Doctor was expecting a tirade of hormonal rage to follow but was even more perturbed by the sight of his heavily pregnant wife bursting into tears.

He took her in his arms and rocked her gently while she wept.

“I really thought we were nearly there… I’m so tired and so fat! My body will never recover from this!”

“Rose, you are not fat… you’re beautiful and I’m sorry, but your body will return to its normal shape with the right treatment… I love you for doing this and it will be worth it… I promise!”

“Oh, I know… it’s just hormones and missing Mum… I want this as much as you… I’m just a little shocked.”

“I wanted to tell you, but I was worried about how you’d react… maybe it’s time we headed for Cardiff? We haven’t seen them in a while with all the preparation we’ve been up to.”

“That’d be nice… yes… Martha phoned me last night moaning that she hadn’t seen us… I think she’s got problems with Tom.”

“Moaning Martha… don’t get involved with her domestics, Rose. We have enough on our plate as it is!”

“Doctor… I wouldn’t get involved, but a friend in need and all that. It’s good to have someone to sound off to. They can sometimes put another perspective to things.”

“You’re just nosy and want to know what gives, really?” Rose grinned cheekily.

“Sort of both… I’m only human!”

“And a fantastic one at that!”

“So, we’re gonna leave here? We took so long to pin point it!”

“I’m going to graft it up… next visit it will be in the system again and the TARDIS won’t get confused. Besides, if we’re going to search, we need to record where we’ve already looked, don’t we?”

“Good thinking, Batman!”

“Does that make you Robin?”

“Not unless they were in a sexual relationship and Robin was the size of a double-decker bus!”

“Interesting thought and those lycra suits? Very camp! Come on… let’s go and find something to feed that gorgeous body while the TARDIS maps out Kasterborous!”

“Have we got any pickles? I really fancy something vinegary and crunchy!”

“Mmmm… I’ll have to look in the store rooms… but I think I might have something rather good for you to try… a lovely little planet called Jypsy… one of their most famous and delicious exports. Hard to get hold of these days, but if you know the right people...”

“Come on then… he’s doing backward rolls at the thought of them!”


	7. Chapter 7

“And then he says… he says ‘if you really wanted to make this work, you would come here’… like I should give up everything and run to him. I mean, it’s the 21st century… he hasn’t exactly got much chance of promotion there and I love what I do here!”

“Martha, he probably didn’t mean it in the way you took it. Anyway, _he_ loves what _he’s_ doing… did you expect him to give it all up? Cos you know what that makes you, don’t you?”

“It isn’t just that, though, Rose. He's suspicious… accusing me of all sorts. Starts with the Doctor and works right through to even Ianto! I mean, he’s sweet, but seriously anyone who knows us lot even a little… knows!”

“So, what are you gonna do?” Rose asked. They were sat side by side in the window of the Terra Nova looking out across Mermaid Quay. Jack, the Doctor, Mickey and Ianto were all at the bar and by the sound of it; they were having a real laugh.

Martha sighed and looked at her hands. Rose’s pink ones held firm to hers and she blinked back a tear. “Honestly? I don’t know. If I really loved him… I wouldn’t think twice, would I? Would I? And that’s not all…”

****************

“Rose looks amazing… so rounded...” Jack was eyeing the couple over his shoulder.

“Stop it,” retorted the Doctor, but happily, the pride in his voice blatantly obvious.

“She does, though, Doctor. I mean those two, what a contrast. Bursting with happiness, like it’s coming out of her pores and Martha… so miserable… poor lamb.”

“She’s alright!” Mickey snapped, caught the Doctor’s eye and supped at his pint guiltily. 

“Care to share?” Jack grinned and shrugged as Ianto clicked his admonishment at him. “Like we don’t know what goes on!”

“Oh?” The Doctor’s eyes lit on Mickey and flickered back to Martha.

“Don’t look at me like that… it weren’t me, it were her, right?”

*****************

“You and Mickey?” Rose said with astonishment.

“It was just once... well, twice if you count that time after New Year’s when Tom walked out just before midnight…. But we were both very drunk!”

“Well, maybe that’s why Tom feels the way he does? I mean… Martha, you’re married and Mickey… he’s a really good friend. I wouldn’t want to see him hurt!”

“But you were the one to hurt him the most, Rose! And I’m a good friend too!”

“It’s because of me that I don’t want him hurt… and yes you are, but I thought you had your head screwed on the right way!”

“Jesus, just because you have the perfect man, Rose! It isn’t easy. You two can share your life, no need to work or anything. You got it all. Us ants down here still have to walk the long road!”

“Well, Martha, I agree, I have the perfect man for me. But it hasn’t been easy, not by a long chalk! Still, sometimes, we both have horrendous nightmares. Even now, this baby is possibly a danger to my health unless I am closely monitored and to his own, come to that! My only family is him and this baby here. I miss my mother so much, especially now…” Rose’s hands left their grip on Martha’s and rounded on her stomach.

“I’m sorry, I was being selfish… I was so wrapped up in my own problems.”

“Martha, I’m here to help if I can, just don’t go on the attack with me.”

“I meant I envied you!”

“What, you, Martha Jones, envy, Rose? Are you getting broody?” The Doctor stood in front of them holding a tray of glasses. All the other men sat down around the window seat closing the two women in. Martha looked up and for a moment it looked like she was going to shout loudly. Then she thought better of it and shrugged.

“Life aboard the TARDIS, it’s hard to follow it with the ordinary bump and grind!” she muttered and all around mumbled their agreements except one.

“Never had the privilege!” Ianto’s clipped and yet mellow Welsh tone carried across the silence and Jack laughed putting an arm around him.

“Maybe one day, Ianto, I’ll take you and Jack on a trip… after the baby is born, that is...” Ianto went a little pink but said nothing, merely nodded by reaction. Jack grinned and knuckled his lover’s head affectionately.

“Atta boy… not so Cool Hand Luke when it comes to that particular alien tech, are you?” Jack teased happily.

Mickey was sitting beside Rose and she turned to him amongst all the bantering and asked him straight out. “Never thought you’d mess with a married woman, Mick?”

“Oh, Babe, it weren’t like that… I, she… why do I have to explain it to you anyway?”

“You don’t, it’s just that we’re like family, you ‘n me, and I was worried.”

“Been looking after meself a long time now, Rose and well you know it. Martha isn’t happy and I… want her to be. Where’s the harm in tha…” Mickey stopped mid-flow as he realised that there was a lull in the conversation around the table and all eyes were upon him.

Martha started to laugh first and then the whole gathering joined in, all bar the Doctor who hadn’t a clue what was going on.

******************

“But… but Martha, you’ve only been married nine months! We were at your wedding! I really do not understand humans. Time Lords… we mean it when we say till death us do part!”

“I don’t know what happened, maybe I was looking for something that wasn’t there. He did something gallant and it blinded me. The reality is that we’ve moved in different directions. He really thought I would settle down and play wifey and I’m not ready for that.”

“But… Mickey?”

“Oi!”

“Mickey understands me, as do I him. We’re cut from the same stone and no, that isn’t a race thing.”

“More a TARDIS thing, by the sounds,” murmered the Doctor.

“Exactly!” Mickey and Martha spoke together, they’re eyes meeting briefly.

“But Tom, does he know?”

“Not yet… not that it’s anyone’s business but ours. Besides, we’re not exactly having an affair. Tom has accused me of… of doing exactly that with everyone I work with!”

“You and Gwen, you just don’t want to know what I’m thinking right now…” piped up Jack.

“Stop it…” muttered the Doctor.

“I’ve left him. He knows that much. He probably doesn’t think it’s a permanent thing, but it is. As to whether Mickey and I have a future together, well that’s for us to find out.” There followed a long silence, only broken by the landlord calling time. 

“Right, then home. Doctor are you going to stay aground tonight?” asked Jack standing up and shrugging on his long coat.

“Yes… the TARDIS is refuelling and Martha, Rose and Gwen are going off for the day baby shopping, so we’ll be about for a couple of days.”

“Hang on, nine months?” Martha suddenly said out loud.

“What?”

“Me and Tom, we’ve been married nine months and it was at our wedding that we found out about your little newcomer. He must be due any moment?”

“Er… weeeell…” The Doctor scratched the back of his head and puffed out his cheeks a little as he eeked out the vowel.

“Bit longer for us, I’m afraid folks!” Rose said cheerfully, although anyone who knew her well would be able to tell that it was spoken with too much bravado.

“Bit longer? But you look fit to drop now!” Mickey piped up.

“Thank you for that, Mickey, I’m sure that will make Rose feel so much better about it all,” said the Doctor quietly through his teeth. And then, “the fact is, a Gallifreyan or Time Lord Baby would have been loomed for a year before the infant would breath his first air. And as I have nothing but what the TARDIS has to offer me for information, then I have gone along with that. Rose’s physical make up has been altered slightly to compensate for the changes and I am monitoring both of their progress twice daily.”

“And it’s fine… only another three months! I’m sure we can cope!” Rose said in her high-pitched, false sing-song voice again. Martha took her hand and gave it a squeeze and Rose looked as if she was going to be sick.

“We’re closed!” called the Landlord at them and they all stood.

“I’m sorry, Rose, unburdening myself on you when you were in need of a friend,” Martha said softly as they began the walk back to the Hub.

“Oh, its fine, quite diverting actually and I am looking forward to our girlie shopping trip! He’s taking excellent care of us. Really, it was a shock when I found out, but I’m three quarters through.”

“You are a very brave woman, you know that?”

“So people keep saying… enough of me… what are you going to do?”

“I’m staying put. I'll see Tom next week and tell him that I don’t want to struggle with it anymore.”

“And you say I’m brave.” They carried on in silence for a while, listening to the men bantering like adolescents as they maneuvered down the concrete steps onto the Plas. “And Mickey?”

“Next chapter… he’s quite something, you know?”

“Yes, as it happens, I do. He’s a good man and he’s obviously mad about you. I wish you everything, Martha.”

“That means more than you will ever know, Rose.” She stopped and hugged her quickly, blinking back tears. Then they left the four slightly drunk and foolhardy men to slip quietly into the sanctity of the TARDIS.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Author's Notes:  
Sorry about this, but it can't always be wonderful, can it? I have to have a story somewhere sometimes! Spoilers for Torchwood: Children Of Earth.

The three of them were taking Cardiff by storm, with a bag full of cash that the Doctor had handed over to them. They were taking their shopping duties to the realms of Olympic gold medalist standards.

Three hours in and Rose needed to rest. Her heart was in the spend, but her ankles needed alleviating, or elevating at least.

The coffee shop was fairly empty and Martha pulled over a seat, adding an extra cushion. Rose grinned over her mug of sweet, milky tea and propped her legs up.

“Perhaps a full on shop was a bit ambitious?” Gwen’s gentle tones soothed, even though there was some worry etched amongst it.

“Oh, I’m fine, couldn’t pass up this opportunity and we’ve got so much!” Rose was feeling very much better. Spending time with female friends had been the right cure for her low feelings on having to wait another three months for the arrival of the little one.

“It’s incredible… all that out there… all those planets… all that time and you end up baby shopping in Cardiff!”

“Oh! Less of that, there’s nothing wrong with Cardiff... we’ve some great shopping here!” Gwen’s tone was instantly much harder as she rallied to the defense of her beloved home city.

“I didn’t mean that!” said Martha, squeezing Gwen’s arm to placate her, “If you had been out there, seen what we have… shopping is on another level!”

“Oh, yeah, but you can’t beat Mothercare anywhere! Maybe we can do that one day… you know, when the baby’s born? I could persuade the Doctor, he and the little one could have some special bonding time and we could…”

“Intergalactic shopping? Now you’re talking!” The three girls laughed out loud.

“Seriously though… this whole Time Baby issue and you being under constant Time Lord Care… isn’t it a little dangerous?”

“He knows what he’s doing… he’s got the TARDIS keeping an eye on me, so long as we stay within the city, its fine. He’s giving me all sorts of extras as well, it’s under control…”

“I’ll bet he gives you all sorts of extras! Don’t look like that Rose… we’re curious... is alien sex very different?”

“Shut up Martha!” Martha grinned cheekily and Gwen leant forward towards Rose, waiting to see if she was going to add. “It’s brilliant, ok?”

“No fair! All this opportunity and you aren’t willing to spill… come on, Rose! Is he built like a man all over?”

“Yes!”

“Same sort of size? He always looked like he was packing in those pinstripes!”

“Martha Jones… I don’t believe I’m hearing this!”

“Shocked?”

“Yes, I bloody well am!”

“You can’t blame us for being curious, though… all that charm and… promise…” sighed Gwen

“And that oral fixation!” butted in Martha and then they both began to crow as Rose flushed a brilliant rose red from the roots of her hair to the ample cleavage she was sporting in her new purple maternity top.

******************

Meanwhile, back at Torchwood, Jack and the Doctor were filtering through the alien junk that had accumulated in the basements when Ianto called them up.

“There’s some kind of activity just outside of town… not sure what, haven’t had anything through the rift in months… but we’ve got off the scale readings…”

They took the stairs two at a time, fought for Ianto’s screen and ended up shoulder to shoulder sharing.

“Usual sort of thing?”

“Children just stopping in the streets… no… that doesn’t happen too often…” Jack muttered and it was the Doctor who noticed something slight in his demeanor that betrayed him. His suspicions were aroused.

“Captain?”

“Oh, it could be nothing… no, it couldn’t be.”

“Care to explain?”

“Let’s just get out there and see, shall we? Rose is alright?”

“Course… so long as the TARDIS is monitoring her, there’s no problem, we won’t be long?” 

“Back within the hour!”

“What are we waiting for?” The Doctor smiled gleefully, the scent of something new exciting him.

Ianto watched them leave via the CCTV cameras and shook his head. He hoped they’d take any threat seriously. This thing called life, it wasn’t a game.

Mickey came in within moments, looking for the Doctor and Jack. “Did you see it on the news? Kids everywhere… they just... stopped?” he asked Ianto.

“What do you mean everywhere?”

“All over... the whole world, mate! We need to tell 'em, where have they gone?”

“Out to Ely, weird happenings at some school out there… I’ll radio them…” Ianto went to the communication desk, fiddled with some buttons and when he got no joy with that, he picked up the phone and tried to ring. “All lines appear to be dead, what’s going on?”

“At a guess, it would appear that whatever is going on out there is some kind of decoy… the TARDIS is safe, yeah?”

“Still there.”

Ianto and Mickey approached the doors with apprehension, but when he touched the rough wood, it swung wide for him and Mickey stepped inside, cautiously followed by Ianto. They moved up the ramp and stood at the console looking like two confused little boys.

Without warning, the door suddenly slammed shut and the Doctor appeared as a hologram.

“Activated, Emergency Programme One…” Mickey screamed above the Doctor’s voice and ran for the doors desperately trying to prise them open. Ianto stood transfixed, watching the time rotor moving up and down and listening to the calling wail of the machinery as it made ready to dematerialise.

********************

“Who’d have thought Rose Tyler were a prude? Go on, we’re only teasing you, it’s your business and no one else’s!” Gwen laughed and Martha gave Rose an exaggerated and humoured wink that set Rose off giggling again.

“So, this afternoon, we thought we might take you off for a pampering, get your energy up for a little bit more spending later on. How does a facial, manicure and pedicure sound?”

“Sounds amazing… do you see those kids out there?”

“What? What are they playing at, standing in the street like that?” Martha and Gwen automatically got up and went to the doors, opened up and looked out.

“There’s loads of them... all of them... what are they doing?”

Rose stood up to join them, encumbered by her form, but as she straightened, she let out a cry and doubled over. They ran back to her each taking an arm and steadying her.

“Rose?”

“Martha… it can’t… no, not yet… I need…”

“What, what do you need, Rose?” Martha asked, panicked and reaching for her bag, praying for a magical Time Lord pill.

“The Doctor, I need the Doctor…” and with that, her knees buckled and she slumped to the floor.


	9. Chapter 9

“What do you mean, she's gone?” Jack tried to shake the Doctor from the trance he appeared to be in. “Doctor! You have to help... we have a situation, you can't just close down... Rose needs you!”

The name seemed to click something within him and his eyes turned to Jack, “Rose! No, oh no... we have to get back... now!”

“That's what I've been trying to tell you!” They ran for the car at full speed, long-coats flapping behind them. One turn of the key and it was evident that the car had been tampered with, it choked, spluttered and went dead.

The Doctor pulled out his Sonic, scanned the engine and found nothing untoward. He was muttering and cursing under his breath, his panic very evident. Jack was still trying to get hold of Martha or Ianto on his seemingly dead mobile phone.

“Alice! How the hell... what's going on? We're stranded and it's an emergency... what's wrong with him? No... no... he'll be fine... come and get us, bring him too... I'll text you our exact location... quickly!”

The Doctor, turned, face like thunder, “someone's meddling with me, Jack, and you know something... what's going on... and who's Alice?”

456456456456456456456456456

“Rose... Rose, can you hear me? Rose!” Martha opened Rose's left eyelid and stared into her eyes, then she pulled out a stethoscope from her bag and began to listen to the baby within the rounded stomach. Gwen was on the phone, trying to get hold of Jack or Mickey and Ianto and having no luck.

“What shall we do?” she asked Martha, her voice breaking.

“We need the Doctor and, I think, more importantly, we need the TARDIS!”

“I'll get a car...” Gwen left the café quickly striding over to the nearest vehicle and, showing a wallet that looked suspiciously like psychic paper, she commandeered it.

“No... my baby... Doctor!” Rose's eyes bolted open and she buckled her body inwards in a spasm of agony.

“Rose, it's okay... we're going to get help... we just have to get you in the car and back to the TARDIS...”

“Martha, what's happening... where is the TARDIS? I don't feel her... tell the Doctor... the baby is in danger!”

With much difficulty and little help from onlookers, Gwen and Martha got Rose to the waiting car and Gwen set off at speed with Rose in the back, Martha trying to nurse her through her pains.

45645645645456456456456456456

“What do you mean, you don't know, Mickey? You've flown in this thing before!” Ianto was studying the console and not understanding any of it at all.

“I haven't ever driven it... just been a passenger is all! All I know is, that this reads that we are nowhere!” He pointed at the monitor, which showed a vortex of swirling blues and mist.

“Can't you contact anyone... the Doctor?”

“Do you see any type of device for communicating, Ianto?”

“It's a phone box for God's sake! There's a phone in the door!”

“It don't work... I asked once, just a decoy!”

“So we're stuck in limbo... why would the TARDIS do that? There must be some kind of threat... I mean, the Doctor is miles away and Rose is...”

“Oh my God, Ianto... Rose!”

Mickey ran around the console, tapping at likely switches, shouting at the TARDIS to take them back, that Rose and the baby were in danger. All he got for his efforts was a mild electric shock but enough that it sent him flying into the coral strut behind him.

Ianto stooped over his limp body, felt his pulse and then looked towards the console.

“You have to get us back... you have to!” he spoke softly and then sat down beside Mickey, waiting for he knew not what.

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“Alice this is the Doctor... Doctor... Alice...”

“Uncle Jack!” A small boy jumped out of the estate and landed on Jack.

“Woah there, buddy, knocked me for six then!” said Jack, grabbing the boy and hugging him tightly.

“Come on! Let's get back!” The Doctor got into the car, his face set, barely acknowledging the two new arrivals.

“Very rude, your acquaintances are, Dad!” she hissed as she got into the back with her son and Jack took the driver's wheel.

The Doctor said very little, ruminating on all that Jack had told him, trying to figure out what the threat might be and where the TARDIS might have been taken to. His worries for Rose were tantamount, his link to her and their son was severed, like something was coming between them and blocking them. This wasn't good.

Jack’s driving took them quickly into the centre of Cardiff and it wasn't long before they were at the Plas. The Doctor said nothing and got out of the car, charged towards the Hub entrance and waited impatiently on the stone for Jack.

“Take him away, Alice, take him away and hide with him... remember what your mother and father taught you... when all is clear, I will contact you... I love you.” Alice met his eyes, her own widening and then, with a small serious nod, she got into the driver's seat and drove swiftly away.

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The Hub was empty, no Mickey, no Ianto nor Jack and to Martha's dismay, no Doctor.

“He wouldn't have taken off in the TARDIS without Rose unless it was something awful, Gwen!” hissed Martha, the other side of a delirious Rose, as they hoisted her towards the med-bay.

Once they were down there, Martha linked her up to the scanners, careful to remember how intrusive the baby had found it a few months ago.

“Is the baby alright?” Rose's eyes focused on Martha's, panic and fear bleeding out of them.

“Calm down, Rose, you won't help him if you fret... breath easily.”

Martha read the data that was thrown back at her across the screens, she read it, but she could understand head nor tail of it.

“We need the Doctor!” she whispered to Gwen, “see if you can locate him from here... see if the Hub can connect to my phone!” Gwen nodded and moved towards the door, but stopped when she heard the descent of the lift. Her eyes met Martha's and she pulled out her gun and headed silently up the stairs.

She was nearly thrown back down them by the brown pinstriped and khaki coated blur that practicaly leapt over her and launched himself into the med-bay.

Jack took the steps more carefully, grabbing Gwen's hand and turning her back to the med-bay.

“Rose! Oh Rose!” The Doctor was at her side, pulling the machinery off her and clutching her into his arms.

“The pain... the baby... Doctor... you said...”

“I'm here... calm yourself... shh... let me in...” His fingers were at her temples and she quietened almost instantly as their link was reconnected.

The three watched the scene as the Doctor examined Rose and the baby using this way and when he let go of her he turned to them, his face was pale as if all the blood had drained from it.

“Doctor?”

“I need to contact this 456, Jack... I don't care how closed Unit are being, I have to... and we need to find the TARDIS, my guess is that she knows what they are, picked them up on her wavelength and has gone into emergency mode. I can call her back, but I'm going to need your help!”

“Anything... anything at all... what about Rose... the baby?”

“It's not looking good, not for either of them... but I'm going to do everything in my power to save them!” Jack shivered at the expression the Doctor now wore on his face, he knew he never wanted to be on the receiving end of that.

“You said one boy got away?”

“Yes, named MacDonald, Clem MacDonald. He went mad, been institutionalised ever since.”

“Get him... he's our key, Jack, we need him.”

“I'll get Gwen on it right away!” He turned to Gwen who was on her mobile. 

“Jack, Doctor... it's Ianto... I managed to get him on Martha's phone...”

“What?” Jack looked at her impatiently.

“On Martha's phone in the TARDIS!”

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Mickey groaned and sat up, looking about him. Ianto was moving about the cosole like a mad man, obviously searching for something.

“Ianto?”

“Ringing noise... sounds like a phone... can't seem to locate it though...” Mickey stood up, walked to the console and listened. Sure enough, he also heard the sound of a phone and joined Ianto in the search.

“There!” he pointed to a slot below the grating where a dull light shone. The ringing got louder as he went on his knees and pulled up the grating.

“It's Gwen!” He passed the phone to Ianto who answered it. The next minute the Doctor was shouting down the line, barking out instructions to bring them back. 

Mickey and Ianto nervously did as they were instructed and the TARDIS materialised, somewhat unsteadily, in the Atrium of the Hub. The Doctor burst through the doors, Rose barely conscious in his arms and ran with her to the infirmary.


	10. Chapter 10

Jack found the Doctor some time later in the library. He sat with his head in his hands and seemed unaware of anyone else's presence.

“Did you collect that Clem MacDonald?” he asked suddenly, making Jack jump. He turned his head to face him staring at him through almost soulless eyes.

“There was a problem, some kind of radio interference en route, he overloaded, apparently, he died. Ianto's on the way with the report.” 

The Doctor straightened up and nodded. “Not surprised.”

“Oh?”

“Jack, there are things stacking up against us... it isn't just this '456', there's more...”

“Oh?”

“The TARDIS took off because of the bomb.”

“The bomb?”

“Someone fired a missile of some sorts at the Hub, if she hadn't taken impact and taken off, this whole place would have been blown to smithereens... timed to when we should have been here too... her shields are set to protect the whole area now.”

“I'll get Ianto on that when he gets back. Doctor... Rose?”

“She'll be OK... she's resting now... needs to rest...”

“The baby?” Jack's voice was so quiet, it was barely audible.

The Doctor paused, his face so blinkered that Jack could hardly decipher any emotion on it. “He's not doing so well, his bond was interrupted, Rose went into labour... I've stopped that, but he isn't responding very well.”

“He'll make it though?”

“Jack, he's of Time Lord stock, what do you think?”

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She was crying as she woke... she didn't know why at first. Something was missing and even as her mind reached out for it she knew it wouldn't respond. He wouldn't respond.

Martha pressed a button that would let the Doctor know that Rose was awake and leaned over her smiling fondly. “Hello.”

“Martha, where is he?” Rose's voice was weak and rasped.

“He's coming, just went to the library to look something up...” But Rose was shaking her head, tears leaking from her eyes and running into her hairline. Martha smoothed them away, biting her lip to control her own threatening tears. The Doctor walked in, breathless and worried, gently pushed Martha aside and took Rose's hand.

“He...”

“He's still there, he's just not responding to the reconnection, he's fighting it, but he's weakened.”

“Can you connect with him?”

“Only on a base level, Rose. He needs time to adjust to it... time is pretty crucial for him, You need to relax. Stress won't help him.”

“What have we done?” Rose was openly sobbing by now and he, very carefully so as not to disturb the scanners that he had attached to her; pulled her into his arms. “I can't... we can't lose him... should have stayed put... risked him...”

“No more if onlys... he'll survive this...” A cough at the door alerted him to Jack's presence and the face that he wore showed some urgency.

“This better be good!” The Doctor hissed impatiently as he joined Jack in the corridor outside.

“The bomb was government... they were ordered to eradicate Torchwood.”

“By?”

“The 456. They're arranging a meet... want us to be present.. a negotiation.” The Doctor was shaking his head.

“You're an idiot, Jack Harkness... they'll just keep coming back... don't you understand? There is no negotiation! You handed over those children like lambs to the slaughter and you believed that would be the end of it?” Jack said nothing, merely taking the Doctor's dressing down like a true soldier. “They need the children for something and nothing we can say or do will stop them from helping themselves! If you go in there, more lives are going to be lost! I forbid it, do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Doctor.”

“I need that report on Clem... that's the key... the connection... where's Ianto?” Jack didn't answer, but his face looked decidedly paler. “Jack... get him out of there... now!” Jack didn't need telling twice, he was off at a run before the Doctor had even finished.

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“What will happen?” Rose was calmer now and the Doctor, who was reading all the complicated data that the TARDIS infirmary had gathered, looked up over the top of his glasses.

“Happen?” 

“If he doesn't make it?” The Doctor dropped down beside her and pressed his forehead against her cheek.

“He's a baby of Time, Rose, he'll make it... one way or another.”

“Doctor?”

There was along silence between them as they studied one another's faces, and then, “It's the law of nature... it was common for even loomed infants to regenerate if there was a problem.”

“Is that likely, then?”

Again, there was another pause as he weighed up his words. “Yes... he's not coped with the severage very well, Rose, he's hanging in there, but it doesn't look good.”

“Our little boy?” she whispered, her hands instinctively rounding her stomach. He nodded and his own hands joined hers as the tears he had been trying to hold back filled his eyes. “Couldn't I just give birth, like a normal person? He's full term... he might have a chance?”

“We'd risk both your lives, Rose, and there might not be any chance of regeneration that way!” Again, the silence between them hung in the air.

“How long?”

“Couple of days... see what the damage actually is... its really up to him.” 

Rose nodded, a fresh batch of tears finding their way down her face again, “hold me?”

He climbed onto the bed beside her, careful not to pull any wires from her, and took her properly into his arms, connecting with her completely, bonding them together so that the baby might feel them more easily.

In the corner of the room, Martha stifled a sob, then took her leave up the corridor where she found Mickey pacing, feeling useless. She collapsed into his arms and wept.

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“Ianto... the orders are coming from the highest source... there is no chance of negotiation... you turn around. Gwen's on her way back... she'll meet you at the station.”

“But, Jack, I hate to point it out, but don't you think the Doctor's seeing this on a rather biased level? We should negotiate first... he's just hell bent on destroying what has threatened his family, surely?”

“Ianto... I think that the Doctor may have worked out who they are... if you don't follow his orders, its highly likely that you will end up dead! Now, I for one, cannot cope with the idea of these... these... bullying aliens threatening my family! Come home Ianto.” Jack hung up and stared at the receiver as if willing Ianto to turn the train around.

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“It's just so not fair... haven't they been through enough?”

“Come on, Martha... trouble will always follow him around... she knew that when she took it all on!” They were sitting in the galley waiting for a very large pot of tea to brew.

“I hope he can contain himself... his anger spills out sometimes, you know?”

“I think Rose grounds him some. He wouldn't jeopardise her life.” They sat in silence for a moment and then Mickey looked at her as if he were looking for the right words, “I... if we get out of this alive...”

“Yeah?” Martha answered listlessly, unaware of how important Mickey’s words were going to be.

“Well... I want us to go and see Tom... tell him together... tell him we're in love and we couldn't help it. He's a good bloke, he may not like it, but he'll accept it, especially if we're honest.”

Martha's eyes had rounded, focused on him with a look of surprise, “love?”

“I really do... have since that first Weevil incident, would never have done anything about it, except... well, you know...”

“Mickey I...”

“It doesn't matter... I needed to say it and I know you and Tom are over regardless of what happens with us. I just didn't think you should have to go through that on your own.”

“Shut up, Mickey... kiss me!” He didn't need telling twice, he was by her in a flash, kissing the breath out of her desperately. 

“We'll go away, take a break... see how it all lies once the dust has settled?”

Words escaped her, but he could read her responses well enough and a rekindled hope filled his heart.

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Jack stood at Ianto's station observing the lift, waiting, arms folded. He looked composed, but a muscle was pumping in his cheek.

Finally, the lift grunted and he moved slightly towards it, his breath held as a pair of legs came into view.

“Gwen!” Jack barked up at her, “where's Ianto, didn't you meet him?”

“He wasn't there, Jack... I thought he might have made his way back here?”

“No!” Jack screamed as he picked up his mobile and pressed his speed dial.

“Jack?” Ianto's voice sounded oddly strained and removed.

“Ianto... where the hell are you?” he roared down the phone.


	11. Chapter 11

“I’m right here…” said Ianto from behind and Jack swivelled around to face him. Relief flooded through him and he stepped towards his lover.

“I thought…”

“What… that I would disobey orders? Really, you should know me better than that.”

“Come here…” Ianto stepped forward, flushing slightly and looking at Gwen apologetically as Jack pulled him into a tight embrace. 

When he pulled back, there were actual tears in the American’s eyes. “Whatever’s the matter?” His soft Welsh tone soothed Jack instantly and he seemed no longer aware of Gwen’s presence.

“I thought I’d lost you…”

“I’m right here… always will be…”

“The meeting was a trap… I really thought…” Jack pulled Ianto to him and kissed him hungrily. This was when Gwen left them and made her way up to the kitchen where Martha and Mickey were drinking tea.

She sat down and eyed them with interest.

“Somebody gonna tell me, then?”

“Tell you?”

“I come back yer and it’s like, everyone’s at death’s door… what’s occurring?”

“The baby is ill… Rose is ill… the Doctor is beside himself… everyone’s in danger and we’re under attack from the government…” said Mickey, deadpan.

“And Jack’s out there treating Ianto like he’s back from the dead!” added Gwen.

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Rose woke up and blinked. The Doctor was still beside her, staring up at the ceiling as if meditating.

“Doctor?” she whispered gently and he turned to her with a sad smile.

“Hello… how are you feeling?”

“Better… calmer… was a shock, to just lose contact like that. Have you had any luck?”

“No… he’s resting and that’s no bad thing…”

“Yeah… I dreamt he was calling me…”

“You did?”

“I don’t know what he was calling me, just that he was… he was far away and I wanted to get to him… but I couldn’t… he was always out of reach… but he was laughing…”

“Then he must be alright, whatever course this takes… he was happy… safe within you…”

“Do you really think so?”

“Whatever happens, Rose, he’s our baby and we will love him no matter what. It’s tragic that a life should be wasted before it breaths the air, but if he weren’t a Time Baby… well, surely this is better?”

“Yes… but it wouldn’t stop me mourning his first generation… that what you call it?”

“Yes… better than ‘first life’, really?”

“We just have to be strong for him because either way, it’s got to be scary…”

“Did I ever tell you, Rose Tyler... you’re brilliant?”

“Meh… maybe a couple of times…” He got up from the nest he had made beside her and started to check both her and their baby’s data.

“You seem to be fine and he’s still hanging in there…”

“Has he..?”

“No… he’s still… him…” 

She nodded and sat up. “I feel much better… can I get this lot off me? It’s not going to make a blind bit of difference to him, is it? I have the feeling that I should be moving about… I don’t want to override your expertise, Doctor, but there is something in the saying ‘Mother knows best’… want to make a nice pot of tea…” She wasn’t waiting for his reply, she was already sitting up and fiddling with the wires attached to her.

“Rose… I don’t want you to leave the TARDIS, you understand? There is trouble brewing and it could endanger you… the baby specifically…”

“What are they?”

“I only have a theory at the moment, but what I do know is that they feed and live off children… any variety of child from anywhere in the universe… and this time, they appear to have chosen Earth.”

“What... they eat them?”

“No… well not entirely... they use them to maintain their abilities to function… they merge with them. It’s gruesome... scourge of the Universe… hated by all even the dregs of all societies. If they got even a whiff of our little man here… well… I dread to think what they might try!”

“So what can you do?”

“Oh, I think Jack and I might have to put our heads together on this… what I do know is that no ordinary person is safe and those that are close to me need to be safe.

“Yay… Martha and Mickey are coming to stay!” Rose was up on her feet and although she was pale and weak, her sense of humour was slowly returning and relief seemed to seep into the room.

“It’s going to be alright,” he said softly, grabbing her around her more than ample waist.

“Yeah… it has to be… but don’t you go getting yourself… hurt, right?” 

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Two hours later, the Doctor and Jack were standing in front of their loved ones in the TARDIS console room.

“Whatever happens, you stay put. We're in less danger than you and we know how to deal with these monsters."

Rose sat on the pilot seat looking pensive. Martha and Mickey stood right beside her hand in hand.

Gwen had bought her husband Rhys on board.

Ianto stood alone, the only one actually resisting the safety of the TARDIS.

“I want to come with you, Jack… what if you… you know, without me?”

“Ianto… it’s happened many, many times before and I daresay, it will happen many times again with and without you. I will have the Doctor with me. I can’t lose you… I couldn’t cope if I lost you…”

He didn’t reply, but he looked utterly dejected.

They stood, the pair of them, in their long coats looking back at this makeshift family of theirs. They all looked so worried.

Rose and the Doctor locked eyes for a long moment and then she gave him a little nod as she blinked back tears.

The two men walked through the doors and shut them firmly. And so, they went into battle against one of the most disgusting aliens either of them had ever come across.

They were the only ones who knew they were doing this with the world’s leaders hunting them as well.


	12. Chapter 12

As they moved into the empty streets, long coats catching in the wind, they said very little, the true seriousness of the situation was really dawning on them.

“So… where shall we begin?” asked Jack as they approached the car that Ianto had used to get himself back.

“Just drive… somewhere out of the city as far away from the TARDIS as possible… they’re watching us… we can’t exactly hide…” The Doctor sounded listless and Jack fiddled with his TARDIS key around his neck. “A Perception Filter will only work so much… they won’t be able to lock on us… but they’ll be able to follow us…”

The Doctor picked up the report on Clem MacDonald from the passenger seat as he sat down and began to rifle through it.

“So… what’s troubling you mostly, Doctor?” said Jack as he swung the car around and headed out of the city.

The Doctor glanced at him sideways, his lips pulled into a straight, thin line, “oh… I don’t know, where do I begin, Jack, with you… or with me?”

“Look… I had no choice… it wasn’t anything I enjoyed doing!”

“Choice, Jack? You chose to send innocent children to their deaths or worse… that was your choice!”

“You can’t tell me you haven’t had to make that sort of decision… it was them or the entire world!”

“Oh, I’ve had to make choices… and I carry the burden with me always… “

“Yeah? No kidding… you think I don’t have guilt?”

“Imagine if it were your own child… your own grandchild?”

“It would break me in two… but if it meant saving millions of others…” The Doctor didn’t respond and Jack continued to drive on in silence.

They eventually pulled up at an abandoned warehouse in the middle of nowhere.

“Where are we?” asked the Doctor, his eyes still glued on the paperwork Ianto had left.

“Old Torchwood warehouse, hasn’t been used for ages… took the liberty of hoarding some stuff here over the years… might come in handy… rigged a sort of filter up here a while back too…”

When they were inside Jack turned to him. “Look, I can’t always account for my actions, but I swear I try my hardest for the least costing outcome… I may not always like it… but it goes beyond selfishness sometimes… unless the survival of mankind is selfish… you said yourself before, you didn’t know where to begin between us.”

“There was a moment back there, Jack… when the baby was in trouble… I can barely believe that it even occurred and yet it did. I thought he was going to lose his first life in the womb and I thought that I could… and I disgust myself sometimes…”

“I don’t understand what you mean, Doctor…”

“I think you do… this report only confirms my theories… Clem died through an overload from the 456… his mind remained programmed to them… infantile and with a partial download already placed… the feedback burnt him out… I suspect that a younger mind would have had a derogatory affect on them…”

“What are you saying… that with a child we might send them packing?”

“Forever… and just for a moment… I… you know, thinking that his first generation was… and it wouldn’t have been wasted… Rose would never have forgiven me… Is this what I have to look forward to now? Making snap decisions not just about me, but about the ones I love… my family… isn’t it better if I’m alone Jack? I’m a liability to them, always was and always will be!”

“But you didn’t, did you? And we’re here to work it out together... we can put a stop to them forever… can’t we?”

“We need a child, Jack… can you really do that, because God knows I know I couldn’t… I’d sacrifice myself a hundred times over… but to just take an innocent… no…”

“But there must be a solution, Doctor, look at me… useless immortality all because of what? My age… Can’t we trick them into channelling through me?”

“It has to be a child, Jack…wait… think… think… think…” The Doctor began to pace and Jack, after watching him for a moment, went about making a large pot of strong tea and setting up a makeshift office with some packing crates.

It was quite some time before the Doctor spoke again and that was only to ask for access to a computer. Jack watched as the laptop he had stored got soniced up and reams of unintelligible and familiar figures raced across the screen reflecting on the Doctor’s glasses.

Jack settled to rigging up an aerial capable for intercepting the signal from the 456. He knew from previous experience that the government would be rounding up children as they worked. Time was running out.

It was getting darker when the Doctor looked up at Jack thoughtfully and blinked hard.

“Remember what happened on board the Valiant, Jack?”

“One of the few who do, Doctor…” Jack set a third cup of tea beside the other two cold ones

“Remember what he did to me?” Jack nodded slowly and the Doctor continued. “He got the technology to do that from a man named Lazarus… genius... madman… poor sod.”

“These things do tend to travel together, or so I am led to believe…”

“He was prepared to cure the epidemic of aging and make a fortune doing it… things backfired…”

“Things have a habit of doing that when you get involved, Doctor…”

“See what I’m getting at, Jack?”

“You can reverse what happened to you… you can make a grown man… un-grow?”

“I can… I mean it will require some tweaking and it would probably be the worst death yet… but it’s the only solution… I’d volunteer myself but I won’t change back, might not even regenerate from that…”

“Pointless when you have me here, really…”

“We don’t have any other choice and all the technology is here if we use it properly…” The Doctor held up the familiar and very battered bronze laser screwdriver that Jack had got to know so well over that dreadful year and even he felt himself recoil at the sight of it.

“You kept it?”

“Yeah… safe in my pocket, harmless in innocent hands… I’m sorry…”

“No… if it means we save the world, then so be it…”

The Doctor nodded, opened his mouth to say something and then thought better of it. He got up and inspected Jack’s work on the transmitter and then, after downing one of the cups of tea in one, he began working on the functions of the almost defunct laser screwdriver while Jack watched on as if he were the condemned man. 

Which he was… again.

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“You know who I am?”

“Yes, Sir…”

“And you remember what you’re doing here?”

The little boy stared at him blinking hard and slowly nodded. He looked so small and so scared. “Will it hurt?” he whispered, his voice breaking on every vowel.

“I can’t lie… it will, but it should be over very quickly and I promise to be here with you all the way through and afterwards…”

“When I..?”

“Of course… you remember what we spoke of?” The boy nodded again, innocent blue eyes meeting aged brown ones.

The Doctor put his arm across the tiny shoulders and led him to the transmitter; he could feel the boy shaking through the overly sized t-shirt he wore.

“Didn’t think I would be so scared, Doctor…” he said as the Doctor began the task of wiring him up.

“Well… it’s like your first time…” The boy nodded, blinking back tears and it was like a knife through the Doctor’s hearts. He pulled him into a tight hug that was very much reciprocated.

Then he stood back, prizing the little fingers from around his waist and opened up all filters allowing the signals to finally get through.

All he could do now was watch.

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Rose was lying on her bed, but rest wasn’t coming, the whole atmosphere of the TARDIS was tense, even with the blessed ship trying her hardest, it was very obvious that the presence of the 456 disturbed her dreadfully and together with the worry of every single person on board she wasn’t feeling at all safe.

The Doctor would risk himself to save the world... to save them and that was too much to bear. Thankfully the little one slept through her angst and this was some comfort. The distress of nearly losing him was becoming a distance memory as her body washed itself with protective cells.

She turned from her side and stared up at the ceiling willing herself to sense the Doctor, needing to know that he was alright. 

Quite suddenly she was awash with the most dreadful feeling and she cried out in alarm.

Martha was beside her in an instant. “You alright?”

“Yeah… bad dream…” she stuttered, sitting up a little too quickly.

“Steady, Rose…” Martha took her elbow and helped her off the bed the rest of the way.

“Do you feel something?”

“What… are you sure you’re okay, Rose… perhaps you better…”

“No, Martha… they’re… they’re gone…”

“What?”

“The 456, they’re gone… The Doctor and Jack… they’ve done it…”

“How could you…?” But Martha’s sentence was cut short. The TARDIS lights flickered, and the gloomy stillness that she seemed to have seeped herself in lifted. 

Then down the corridor the shouts of Mickey, Gwen and Rhys and a somewhat tamer Ianto could be heard. They were watching the breaking news on the TARDIS monitor.

Rose wasn’t smiling as she walked beside Martha towards the console room. She wouldn’t be ready to celebrate until the Doctor and, indeed, Jack were safely back with them.


	13. Chapter 13

The members of the TARDIS weren’t kept waiting long; within the hour the Doctor and Jack walked in through the creaky wooden doors. Both looked exhausted and harrowed and neither said very much as their respective partners took them into their relieved embraces.

When they were in their room, Rose sat him down but she didn’t ask; she just held him, her arms encircling him as best she could with the huge bump protruding between them. He was tense and silent at first, but gradually he relaxed against her and his trembling body was the only giveaway that something awful had taken place.

She peeled off the long coat and the brown pinstriped jacket, tried successfully to avoid looking or asking about the blood that covered the front of his shirt and peeled that from him too. 

She struggled to get his shoes off and he robotically took over and undressed, slumping onto the bed beside her.

She pulled the dark sheets over them, engulfing them in the darkness, and held tightly onto him as he finally relaxed against her. She knew he had had to do something dreadful, knew that she might never know all, but for now, her job was to try and soothe away the nightmares and show him that what he had had to do was for a good reason. That life was worth fighting for.

********** 

It was some time later that she awoke to the screaming echoing down the corridor. Sitting bolt upright, tying to focus on the dusty edge of sleep, Rose focussed on the Doctor as he dressed hurriedly.

“Wasstha’?” she asked softly, confused.

“Jack… don’t worry… I’ll go and sort it...” And he was gone. Rose sat still listening to the horrific cries that reverberated about the whole ship and got up, slinging on a cotton dressing gown as she did.

As she walked towards Jack’s old room a door opened and Martha stuck her head out.

“What’s going on?” she asked and as if by magic, the screaming stopped.

“I think Jack had a nightmare…” said Rose softly and Martha’s eyes rounded.

“Jack? No way… oh my God, what happened out there? What did the Doctor do?”

“He did what he had to, Martha, you know the score… Jack would have been more than willing.”

“Leave it, Martha. Let the Doctor deal with it… it’s none of our business…” Mickey’s voice was soft from within the room and Martha looked shifty.

“Mickey’s right… go on; get back to… whatever… the Doctor will deal with it…” Martha caught Rose’s eye for a beat and then nodded, quietly closing the door.

Rose stood in the echoing corridor wondering if she should continue, if it were any of her business as well, but she was struck by the memories of her own nightmares not so very long ago and she didn’t want the Doctor to have to deal with this on his own.

The door to Jack’s bedroom was ajar and Ianto stood near it staring at the Doctor and Jack on the bed.

“What did you do to him?” Ianto’s usually calm Welsh accent didn’t suit the anger and terror that toned it now.

The Doctor was holding Jack in his arms and he was rocking him as if he were a small child. Jack clung to him feverishly but it was he who spoke to Ianto.

“We dealt with the problem… the planet is safe… we both did this, there was no alternative…”

“I can remove parts of it, Jack… it will ease your night terrors…” The Doctor’s voice was low and gentle.

“No, Doctor… I have to remember…I need to remember… I must never put another soul through anything like it again…” Jack was looking deep into the Doctor’s eyes, blind panic hazing the bright blue centres.

The Doctor didn’t reply, but he caught Rose’s eye and she nodded softly. “Alright, Jack, we’ll get through this together…”

And the decision to take Jack away with them was cast. 

Ianto declined at first, but after a few days of pleading from his lover and a great deal of techno-babble regarding certain areas of the TARDIS from the Doctor he agreed to accompany them for a while. 

“You sure you don’t want to join us?” Rose asked Martha in the Galley the morning of their departure. All the t’s had been crossed and all the i’s had been dotted. The world was being cleared and more importantly, the world was completely safe from the 456. Forever.

Torchwood 3 had been given the green light again, but every member had decided to take leave for varying reasons.

Jack and Ianto were ‘going travelling’. Martha and Mickey were going to visit Tom and once that was sorted out were going to spend some time sorting out their new life together. And Gwen and Rhys had had some very happy news in amongst all the panic which had even made Jack smile for a while.

“It must be catching or something…” she told Rose on the day of the TARDIS’s departure. Rhys’s arm was draped possessively across her shoulders, a smug smile on his face.

“Something in the beer…” added Rose with a proud nod as she stroked her huge belly.

“Congratulations!” chirped the Doctor happily and anyone who knew him and most of them did by now, could see that he was itching to go… it had been too long in one place for him, but Rose ignored him and looked at the four who were about to leave the TARDIS.

“Next time we come, I’ll have him in my arms…”

“I’ll look forward to it… maybe our babies will be friends?”

“Already are… he’s been exploring her ever since he discovered her.”

“What?” Both Gwen and the Doctor piped up at this and the Doctor rushed forward and stroked the bump with an incredulous smile.

“A girl?” said Rhys, cottoning on after a beat and Jack actually chuckled.

“He’s fine… I’ve been so wrapped up in…” He glanced across at Jack, who shrugged and shook his head.

“Couldn’t expect to keep your full attention for that long, could I?” he said simply but Ianto squeezed his hand nonetheless.

It wasn’t long before the four (plus one) of them stood outside the TARDIS and the other four (plus one) remained inside.

“Hope he can help Jack…” muttered Martha and all eyes were upon her.

“Do you really doubt it?” asked Mickey and then they all watched as the TARDIS dematerialised.

Inside the four (plus one) stood around the console.

“Where to now, Doctor?” asked Jack as he stroked the controls a little listlessly.

“First we need a nice break… a rest after… after everything… and then I have a problem that needs working out… I could do with your help as it happens…”

“Oh?”

“Yes… any good with building bridges?”

“Bridges… I… what do you mean, Doctor?”

“No ordinary bridge… Jack… an equation… we need to put our minds together… how to bridge the gap between parallels….”

As Jack looked thoughtfully on, the Doctor flicked a switch and they were off.


	14. Chapter 14

Rose could hear them in the galley as she slowly made her way towards the lit doorway. She had to stop every now and then to rest her bulbous form.

Finally she made it to the door. The Doctor looked up, still laughing from the joke Jack had just told. Ianto was sat quietly smiling at the table.

“Rose!” The Doctor rushed to her side and slowly helped her to a seat. “You shouldn't have got up, you're on complete bed rest!”

“Yeah, well when my Doctor recommended that, he didn't say I would be on starvation mode as well... you were supposed to bring me a cup of tea and some toast?”

“I have it here...” He swung around to the counter and picked up a cold mug of tea and a plate of soggy slices of toast.

“That was over an hour ago...”

“I'm sorry, Rosey Posey... I kept the Doctor talking... shoulda know better...” Jack looked sheepish while Ianto got up, put the kettle on and popped two slices of bread in the toaster.

“It's fine... I know how it happens... and I was virtually asleep when he left me...” Jack grinned in relief. He had improved so much in the two and half months or so that they had been travelling together that Rose couldn't be angry at him.

Ianto sombrely placed a plate of fresh toast and a cup of tea in front of her. He nodded and Rose thanked him with a shy smile. She looked at the Doctor while she bit into a slice.

“This is isn't fair on her...” Jack piped up breaking the silence and the Doctor looked surprised.

“What do you mean?”

“Look at her, she's fit to bust and all we're doing is trying to find that blasted spot, which we know we won't breach for another year... surely we should just go somewhere peaceful where you can give your all to her and the baby until afterwards? I'm much better... Ianto has made massive headways with my night terrors... besides, you could always lock me in the zero room at night again...”

“That won't be necessary...” said Ianto quickly, “But Jack is right, Sir... it's high time you dedicated yours to her...”

The Doctor looked a little put out at being told what to do and Rose, sensing this, put a hand on his.

“They only mean well... I do need you... all of you... we can come back and work on this all together once he's here can't we?”

And so, it was decided, the Doctor feeling guilty for having got completely sidetracked from the most important thing at present; that they were to go to a quiet little planet not far from the place they had been stationing themselves for the past two months.

Back in the bedroom, the Doctor kept on apologising.

“Look, Doctor, I get it, all this waiting is very boring and you learnt how to do this with the baby on a loom, you could see... but we have to compromise... as a human, I should have given birth by now, our baby would be smiling, sleeping through the night maybe...”

“He already smiles... and sleep through the whole night? That would be a terrible waste, Rose!” Rose was lying down on the bed again, the walk to and from the galley exhausting her.

“Typical, well... when it comes to night time, that will be your department... I intend to get my full eight once he's vacated my poor body!”

“That goes without saying, Rose...” he murmured as he listened into her belly, making the unusual, telepathic checks that he usually reserved for when she was sleeping.

“How long?” she asked, a little desperation readable in her eyes.

“Two more weeks... I know, it seems a long time, Rose, but we're almost there, you've done so brilliantly...”

“Is it really as precise as that... you even know his birth day?”

“Well... he could make an early appearance but I won't let you go a day over... your body has had enough to cope with...” He didn't add that it might be more dangerous for both of them if she did go over the due date. He didn't want to worry her.

“So technically, I could give birth tonight without him being in danger?”

“Well... I feel that it's in his best interest to cook for longer but if something were to happen... say your waters broke or you started having contractions... I'm confident there's no danger.”

“So... how do we avoid those things happening?” Rose asked coyly but he didn't pick up on her tone.

“Usual human stuff... you know... too much physical exertion... shock to the system, that sort of thing?”

“Mmmm... and sperm?” 

“Sorry?” His eyes rounded and his hands stilled on her belly. Rose had gone off sex in this fourth trimester, because she got tired so easily and things weren't always that comfortable, so she knew that the Doctor would be feeling particularly needy.

“I read somewhere that semen has a hormone in it that can cause the cervix to dilate...” Rose said as innocently as she could.

“Well... not exactly sure if that works with Gallefreyan semen, besides we haven't... not likely to... you haven't been up to... anyway the physical exertion could induce labour, so bit of a moot point...” The Doctor actually blushed as he stuttered out this garbled statement.

“Oh...” Rose pouted expertly, knowing just what buttons to push and the Doctor, stared at her full protruding lip, his Adam's Apple making the journey up and down his throat. Rose snickered inside, it was well worth a try, wasn't it?

“We can't, Rose!” the Doctor said, a little bit shocked, a little bit worried and, truth be told, a little bit aroused.

“Is it because I'm so fat and unattractive to you?” She hiccuped, turning on the waterworks very prettily, something that she found easy of late. 

“No! You're not fat... you're beautiful and very sexy... but the baby?”

“Is fast asleep... what if we were really gentle... I need to feel close to you right now..?” The Doctor looked at Rose thoughtfully.

“Are you sure this isn't just a ruse to see if my Time Lord sperm might set you off?” He said softly.

“How could you say that? As if I would do anything so sneaky! I'm just a great big fat vessel being used to carry on the line, that’s all!” With that Rose fully burst into tears, even though he was partly right, she was feeling big and unattractive and really needed some reassurance from him. She rolled over onto her side facing away from him and sobbed at the coral wall

“I'm sorry, Rose, I didn't mean it, but the way the conversation started, you can sort of understand it, can't you?” She didn't answer and he stood there for a moment before taking off his jacket and Converses and climbing onto the bed beside her.

Gently, he pulled her into his arms and she moved around into them, crying into his chest as he smoothed her hair. Eventually, she put her tear streaked face up to him and her mouth slowly found his.

Their tongues rolled around each other slowly and her hands went to his backside and squeezed it. He pulled back and smiled at her with a sigh.

“Rose... are you sure?” he whispered.

“I really want to... it seems so ago long that we did? Don't you?”

“Oh, you know nothing, Rose Tyler... every single day I want you... you're my soul mate, I'm bonded to you, I need you in my mind, in my soul and I need to be in your body... but only ever if you want me...” The last was said as an afterthought, a worried shadow crossing his face.

“I want you, I always want you... there was a part of me that did wonder if sex might bring on labour, but I’m honestly not sure if that was because I wanted it, or because I was worried that it might... does that make sense?”

“Yes... I understand... your hormones are all over the place right now,” He had licked her cheek during this closeness and was diagnosing her chemical imbalances from that. “We could probably both do with some physical bonding right now... but we have to be gentle... and if I feel there's any sign of distress from either you or the baby, we stop, right?”

“So romantic Doctor, you really know how to set the mood, don't ya?”

“We aim to please...” he smirked and bowed his head to kiss her again. She returned the kiss with a lot more fervour this time.

He managed to get off her nightie without getting her out of bed and stripped in front of her, giving her a bit of a show that had her panting for him.

Her boobs were massive and he spent a great deal of time losing himself in them, his head buried deep into the valley between them until Rose was both laughing and shouting with frustration.

His head immediately lowered and his mouth enveloped her core, his tongue expertly moving around all the bumps and crevices down there. Rose was awash with feelings and gave herself over to them, orgasm after orgasm spiking in crescendos like he was playing some unusual musical instrument. Rose briefly wondered if he were carrying on his examinations of her hormones at the same time and quickly decided she didn't care. This was what she had been needing.

Then she pulled at his hair, moving him back up, awkwardly over her huge bump.

“I need you inside me... now...” she husked, her eyes a glaze and pupils in full dilation. He sat up on his knees and she turned herself over, got onto all fours and looked back at him over her shoulder with a smile.

Never before had she looked as sexy as she did in these moments, he thought to himself as he placed himself in between her legs and entered her slowly and carefully. 

She breathed as sigh of relief as his pelvis touched her bum and his hands sneaked around to grab two large handfuls of Rose Tyler bosom.

Gradually the dance began as he set the rhythm for this and she eagerly met him, keeping her body up and her pushing herself back at every inward thrust.

“I'll not last long...” he whispered into her neck.

“Go for it...” she whined back as yet another orgasm began to peak. He sat up and thrust a little harder, letting some control go and enjoying the feel of Rose pulsating around him. Then for a moment, he lost all control and speeded up, hardened his thrust and with a few more shoves he spilled his Time Lord sperm into his soul mate. They stayed like that for a little longer as he emptied into her and then he pulled out and they collapsed together, laughing onto the bed.

“Fantastic...” he sighed, kissing her sloppily.

“Can just about stomach the next two weeks if we spend it doing that...” she whispered, even now half asleep.

“Well... that could be arranged...” he answered and drifted off himself.


	15. Chapter 15

“Doctor...” He was resting and she hated to disturb him because it happened so rarely but she needed him... right... now! “DOCTOR!” He opened his eyes and turned to her in surprise.

“I'm having proper contractions... wasn't sure if he was just playing, but they're coming quite strong now!” she gabbled.

“But you have a week left...” he gasped and then saw the expression on her face. “Right... well, we've been through this, you can't deliver naturally.”

“You made me understand that much.... but I don't want you to deliver him in the infirmary... he needs to come into his own nest, not some clinical... impersonal.... white room...” she groaned through her words and the Doctor jumped out of bed.

“Fine... we'll do it here... I love this mattress though... got it in Tomberra, I hope Tomberra is still there... because we'll have to replace it... mind you, a visit to Tomberra... not such a bad idea... last time I went was when I was the drifty poetic one... you'll love it Rose... ow!” The Doctor rubbed his upper arm, which Rose had just pinched.

“Doctor... no nervous babbling, you need to concentrate now... because he's on the move and if he engages you're going to have a problem...” she puffed and the Doctor, though still rubbing his arm, sprang into action.

The TARDIS had moved the infirmary right next door to their bedroom some weeks ago in case of complications so it only took the Doctor a few moments to run and get the trolley full of rather scary looking medical equipment.

Rose was standing up when he returned, a pool of water at her feet. She looked in pain but still couldn't help laughing. “You're naked!” 

“Oh yes... so I am!” he responded looking down at himself.

“I saved your precious mattress from umbilical fluid, put that mat down on the bed so I can.... ow... “ she curled in as another wave of pain hit her. He moved to her, rubbing her back, calmly helping her towards the bed. She clung to him as the gripping pain pushed on her back.

“Do you want some pain relief?” he asked her softly and she stared at him as if he were a lunatic.

“I said no, didn't I? I understand that I'm gonna need some kind of anaesthetic, Doctor, but we agreed... no pain relief... it might be bad for him... explain to me again why you have to cut him out of me?” The Doctor flinched at her words.

“You've been pregnant nearly a year, he's much bigger than any human woman has ever delivered... it's just too dangerous, what if he got stuck? Your life would be at risk and so would his...”

“Yeah... I knew that.... it's just my body is telling me... I can't stop... I...”

“Rose?”

“I need to... push... now!”

It was hard work, but he managed to get a naked flailing Rose onto the bed and make her as comfortable as he possibly could. He pressed down on her huge abdomen, feeling around for their son's position. Then he closed his eyes and concentrated. Instantly Rose calmed, the baby inside her calmed. She breathed out and stared at him.

“”What did you do?”

“I just released some endorphins in you both... little mind trick, buy some time, get you all comfy.”

“That was rather clever, Doctor...” Rose closed her eyes and relaxed while the Doctor slung on some clothes.

When he had covered the mattress, rolling her onto the protective matting, he got his Sonic Screwdriver out and began to gradually circle it over Rose's belly. Finally he found the spot he was after and swept the Sonic around in rapid circles until Rose looked up indignantly.

“Doctor, what are you doing?”

“I'm, zoning in on his point of exit... won't be long now...”

“Doctor... he's...” But Rose didn't get to finish the sentence. Right in front of her eyes, without an epidural and with no pain, she saw her stomach open. It wasn't a big opening, just a small hole below her belly button and slightly to the left. The Doctor pushed his hand in and clamped down on something. He pulled and the next minute there was a head, brown, wet hair clinging to a wrinkled and cross looking face filling the opening that the Doctor had made.

The Doctor moved his fingers back to the point of exit and got his hand in and under the arms of his son. A gentle tug and the baby slid into the world with Rose gasping at how easy it had been.

The Doctor handed the baby to Rose with a small smile. The baby didn't cry, he looked up into his mothers eyes in a look that could only be described as wonder. 

The Doctor had joined them and was staring down at their son with tears in his eyes. “Perfect...” he said kissing them both and then went back to finish off the delivery.

The baby lifted its head searching for food and easily found Rose's naked nipple. He latched on and Rose watched the Doctor at work feeling a little detached from it all.

“I was expecting something completely different, I must say...” she finally said as the Doctor began to seal up her stomach using his Screwdriver again.

“Here's the thing, Rose and I do think sometimes you forget... I'm brilliant and these past few months I've been doing a great deal of working out... trying to find the best and safest way when this day came...”

“You've never done it this way?” she stammered.

“Never done it any way...”

“You used me as a Guinea Pig?” The Doctor glanced up at her tone. She looked a little cross.

“There was never any danger... I had everything ready just in case we had to go the more conventional way...” He pointed his head at the trolley where only a clamp had been used. He had even used his Sonic to detach the Umbilical Chord.

“Why didn't you tell me, it would have saved me from worrying about it?”

“Imagine me explaining all that to you! You'd have gone into premature labour at the thought! No, it was best that I tried it first...”

“Any scarring?”

“Nope, clean as a whistle and your uterus is retracting fast... overall I would say a complete success.” He was on the bed beside his wife by now, watching their son take his first feed. All was quiet and the little pair of eyes turned and looked at them. The suckling stopped though the mouth stayed attached.

“Hello you...” said the new daddy softly and the mouth came away from the nipple and broke into a gummy smile.

“Did he just smile?” gasped Rose and the little opaque eyes turned upwards and he observed his mother over her delicious bosom. It wasn't long before he latched on and continued his feed.

“Don't make comparisons to other babies you've known, Rose, because there are none. So... a name for this young man, finally?”

This was somewhat of a sore point between the two as the Doctor was very keen on giving him a Gallifreyan name and Rose wanted to go a little more conventional.

“Surprised he can't choose his own...” Rose said sarcastically.

It was at this point that Jack burst through the door, took in the scene and Rose's nakedness and backed out with his eyes closed.

“I'm sorry... should have knocked, wasn't expecting... congratulations... looking good, Rose... Doctor... the traces we put up, they just went mental, we're getting readings off the scale!” He stayed hovering by the door with his eyes tightly shut.

“When was this?” The Doctor jumped up and pulled on his jacket.

“About ten minutes ago...”

“Right at the moment he was born... my suspicions were correct... won't be long...” He kissed Rose absently on the head and left with Jack at speed.

Rose sighed and her new son looked at her still suckling away.

“Looks like it's just you'n me, then, little one...” And, curled up together, both completely naked, they fell asleep.


	16. Chapter 16

The Doctor walked through their bedroom door a couple of hours later and was treated by a completely naked Rose Tyler Standing in front of their huge full length mirror studying herself intently in it.

“Well... that's a fine sight if ever I saw one!” he said softly as he approached her with that look in his eye.

Rose turned to face him, a fantastic view of her bottom in the mirror behind her. Her body was no longer cumberson, the baby bump a mere trace, a little curve where the day before there had been a bulbous mound. Her breasts were huge, hard as boulders and the nipples stuck out invitingly. She had no scarring, no bleeding, she looked like a goddess... a rather miffed goddess.

“What the hell happened to all my war wounds?” she asked him crossly.

“War wounds?”

“Apart from the boobs, it don't even look like I've given birth...”

“There's a baby in the cot, Rose...”

“Well, apart from the enormous boobs and the baby in the cot.... I don't even look like I've given birth...” Her hands were at her hips, but the Doctor couldn't keep his eyes off said enormous boobs. This wasn't lost on Rose. “Er... up here for talking, down there for dancing, Doctor...” His eyes momentarily met hers, but they were soon drawn back down again. “Doctor!”

“I'm sorry, but you certainly are a vision, Rose Tyler...” he walked towards her but she stepped back, squashing her bum on the mirror, her hands up.

“None of that, mate, not until you explain yourself...”

“Explain? What's to explain?” he asked, stepping back and crossing his arms, observing his beautiful soul mate in all her golden glory, an amused expression on his face which kind of infuriated her.

“I repeat... I almost look like I was never pregnant... no, I do look like I was never pregnant and had a boob job to-boot!”

“I told you. I'm brilliant... science is a doddle when you have me and a Sonic Screwdriver!” he grinned happily as he spoke, obviously very pleased with himself.

“You Sonicced me?”

“Oh... I don't know, is that even a word? You'd rather have stretch marks, droopy flesh, scars and blood?”

“Well... no... but you didn't even… how did you?”

“You know what, Rose? I did the delivery, you saw me, I just found the thinnest part of your uterus and, yes, 'Sonnicced' it, then reversed it. I also helped your womb to contract back, thus your stretched skin went back with it... but the stretch marks, or lack of, that’s down to you... you're lucky... mind you I would have helped with them too if it had been needed.” Rose was staring at him open mouthed.

“And no bleeding?”

“Well... I sort of patched things up from inside while I was in there... it's all good...”

“You patched things up? It sounds like I've had a cowboy under my bonnet!”

“I can give you the medical terms if you'd rather.. I delivered the pla....”

“Stop it... it's a shock... I was pregnant for a year and now I have nothing to show for it!” Right on cue there was a sigh (not unlike the Doctor's) from the crib and he walked over to see their son looking up into the eaves, he was playing with his toes. The Doctor picked him up and turned back to Rose. It was a sight to melt even the most annoyed person's heart.

“Nothing?” he asked, an eyebrow raised and Rose did melt right on the spot. At this point a drop of milk leaked from her right bosom and she grabbed them both as her little boy sent his special mind messages to them and the letting down of milk began.

Within moments, Rose was sat in the nursing chair they had bought in the flea markets of Sharpake, a baby attached to one side and a flannel covering the other. “Okay, I take it back.. We have a baby... a rather hungry baby... he fed so much while you were gone... where were you by the way?”

“With Jack in the console room... the telepathic waves ripped open... we're working on that bridge... it's all coming together! Speaking of Jack, he'd love to come and meet What's-his-face...”

“What's-his-face, really? Well of course he can come and Ianto... we can't call him What's-his-face even for now, Doctor!”

“Thingamabob, then? They can't exactly come here when you're drifting around in the all together, though, can they Rose?”

“Where's my dressing gown... wait... clothes! I can wear clothes!” Rose suddenly began to cheer up.

“You may have to find your stretchiest top, Rose until we can get you some thing a little roomier...”

“S'okay... I'll just borrow one of your under t-shirts... you have soooo many! You like them big doncha?” He was ogling her again and his eyes darted up briefly to meet hers.

“They’re pretty impressive, can't wait to have a play with them and a taste...” His eyes were shining with excitement.

“You're shocking, you know that?” Rose was laughing, but there was an undercurrent of excitement even from her. "I just had a baby, Doctor, I think we might have a bit of an hiatus from all that malarkey for a while...”

“Why would you say that?” He looked genuinely dismayed at her words.

“That's what normally happens, the mother's body has to... oh... I get it...” The Doctor was grinning. “You old perv, you just wanted me back in the saddle!” She swiped him with the milky flannel.

“I wanted to make everything as easy for you as I possibly could after a year long pregnancy... them's the perks, my love...” He pointed his head to Rose's large but still very perky milk factory with a letchy grin. “You're good to go whenever we want...”

“Could I get pregnant again?” She remembered how they had conceived this new charge the first time they made love and after a year, she needed the break from it all.

“I would say that’s maybe, probably definitely on the cards...”

“Well... do you have a special program on your magic wand that will stop that for a while?”

“Special program?”

“I'm talking about contraception, Doctor!”

“Really?” He looked genuinely shocked.

“Wouldn't it be nice to have a break from all that? Just us? No morning sickness and aches and pains and swelling ankles?”

“I can deal with all that... it could be much less human next time around? I don't want too big a gap between them... Who's-ama-flip needs a brother or a sister!”

“Who's-ama-flip needs a proper name!”

“Ah... you finally got there... he certainly does!” The baby turned his head to look at his father and gurgled a milky smile at him.

“I'm not getting pregnant straight away, Doctor and if it means saying “no” to sex, then that's what I'm doing, right?”

“Of course... I'll see what I can do, dear...”

For this couple, “no” always means exactly that.


	17. Chapter 17

Ianto and Jack visited the first time together and the baby took a shine to Ianto's quiet, gentle exterior immediately, happily laying in his arms and staring around at these new faces whose voices he sort of recognised.

“Don't go getting broody on me, will you?” Jack said to Ianto, although he was gazing fondly at the scene with a tears in his eyes that he tried to blink away.

“No, I think one baby aboard will do for now....” said Ianto softly.

“You don't do babysitting, do you?” said Rose with a yawn. The Doctor looked a little piqued.

“We don't need a baby sitter, Rose!”

“Well, that's two nights of no sleep, Doctor... because you and Whatchamacallit make so much noise...”

“We hardly speak!”

“In your heads you do and it spills over into mine and I can't even think straight!”

“I think Rose needs some sleep, Doctor...” Jack patted her leg and she nodded vigorously at him.

“Oh, I do...” she nodded resting her head on his shoulder.

“And don't you think he needs a name? It's been two day now... we can't keep referring to him as Whatsamajig?” said Jack laughing and putting a supporting arm around Rose.

“We Know!” they both said loudly making little Whosits jump. 

“Sorry...” Rose leaned over and plucked her baby into her arms and clucked at him, soothing him immediately.

“I'll stay in the library with him tonight, Rose... you get some rest and tomorrow I'll take the day off bridge building and we can concentrate on baby names, okay?”

It had been a long time since Rose had slept a whole night in a bed on her own and she wasn't sure how she felt about it, but the idea of having eight hours of...

“Wait, what about feeds?” Rose asked and the baby in her arms opened his eyes wide as if she had given him an idea.

“Well... we could express some off? Or I could pop in and latch him on?” Ianto looked a little embarrassed and stood. Jack followed suit.

“Just so you know, I am available for babysitting when you need it, but if he needs feeding I shall be handing him back over.” said Ianto softly. Jack and Ianto left rather quickly.

The Doctor looked at Rose and she sighed.

“I don't want us to sleep separately, Doctor... it would be horrible... I feel like I'm missing out on quality time as it is with all the bridge planning. And we know it's another year or so before we even make it across!”

“That isn't much time, Rose and we need to get little thingy ready to help... the telepathy needs to up, but when we're all tired, it's hard...”

“God help me if you're tired! He is a complete night owl, though, maybe we should just sleep when he does... or we can get the TARDIS to make it night time when we want...”

“Just like that? She isn't a little pet, performing at your every whim..” as he was speaking the whole atmosphere in the room changed, a perfect moon shone through the false skylight and the room darkened.

The baby in Rose's arms stirred, his eyes opening and catching sight of his father, he grinned widely.

“You are a little menace...” he picked his son from Rose's arms and held him in the air. He was silhouetted by the fake moon above him.

“Do you think it's cos of the Bad Wolf?” Rose blurted it out and the Doctor turned around to her, surprised.

“No... it's perfectly normal, and when I think about it, you and the TARDIS working together really could probably work out a good routine to bend around his sleep patterns. No, there's nothing of the wolf about him... he's a proper moon child...”

“Moon Child... I do like that... isn't that what the Empress gets renamed by that boy in that film?”

“What?”

“Oh... you know the one with the snow dragon and the wolf and the native American boy whose horse dies in the swamp...”

“Oh, Rose, you mean The Neverending Story... it was a luck dragon and she was the Childlike Empress...”

“Yeah... I was right about Moon Child though... what was the boy called again, not the native American, the reader?”

“Bastian Balthazar Bux...” The name rolled off his rather clever tongue expertly and they both stopped and stared at one another.

Before they could say anything their heads were filled with a feeling which could only be described as joyful approval. The baby liked it.

“Bastian?” The Doctor quirked an eyebrow and looked at his smiling son. “Well Bastian Of the Bridge, we name you... finally!” Rose was crying and she didn't know why, something very special had just happened and it had crept up on them.

“Bastian of the Bridge?” she sniffed joining them in the moonlight.

“Very appropriate being as he is a kind of bastion, I mean we would never build this bridge without his support...”

“It suits him... we're not going with Balthazar though , are we?”

“Well... personally, I rather like it, maybe we can save it for next time?”

“Maybe...” Rose made a mental note to choose a name for the next one well in advance.

“What a long way we've come, Doctor...” said Rose thoughtfully. The Doctor stopped and looked at Rose, that haunted expression crossing his face again.

“It's certainly been quite a journey...” he said a little uncertainly.

“I wasn't even thinking about that... but there has been something I've been meaning to ask you...”

“Yes?”

“What do we tell them? When we do finally get there, I mean?”

“Tell them?”

“What happened... why you came back for me... what happened to... “

“Do we really need to talk about all that? I mean I came back for you, couldn't go on without you... isn't that enough?”

“Doctor... you do you remember my mother, right? Cos she's gonna ask many, many questions... and she's gonna know something's not quite right... and she may even be angry with you for stealing me away without even a goodbye...”

“Rose... it's very healthy that you want to address this, and I will... we will... it's a painful thing for both of us, but we also both know that we can't just cover it up and pretend it never happened... I don't want to open up this subject in front of Bastian... not ever... he'll pick up something bad from it... as for your mum, can't we cross that bridge when we get there?”

“It's all about bridges with you, isn't it?” She smiled, pushing back the bad vibes knowing that her partner was absolutely right. Their new baby should be spared those feelings.

“Not all, but bridges are good... they allow one access to places one may never have got to before... and to discover... to explore... that's just brilliant!” Rose took baby Bastian over to their bed and climbed in with him.

“Rose... it may seem like night, but it isn't, it's simulated...”

“I don't care, I'm knackered and if I can steal forty winks while he's feeding, then I will... care to join us?”

The Doctor observed his beautiful mate with their beautiful son in their very inviting bed and began to undress.


	18. Chapter 18

Bastian ran around the console giggling and Rose gave up, exasperated.

“How you think he can help with this bridge is way beyond me... he won't even cooperate for meal times nor bath times and I gave up on bed times last year!”

“He's only an Earth year old, Rose.. he has a way to go, but his telepathic abilities are very pleasing and if I treat it like a game, he's very compliant...”

“You sayin' I don't play with him?” Her hand's were on her hips and the little bump she had forming was very evident when she stood like this. It pulled something primal and proud inside him and he couldn't help but make a little satisfied noise in his throat.

Jack pulled himself out from under the console and glared at him,“ Really, Doctor, yes, she's fantastic and you've done very well... but beating your chest like a caveman won't get us anywhere with the job in hand!”

_Jack had been a little tetchy since they had left Ianto back in Wales. He had travelled with them for a good few months, but he was missing home, his brother had been ill and needed him and Gwen was due any moment and he felt duty bound to her. Also, Martha and Mickey had been left running The Hub and his OCD was twitching to get back to check on his lovely order there. _

_So they had gone back to visit for a while, to see Gwen and catch up with Martha and Mickey and allow Ianto to quench his thirst for home._

_When the TARDIS had materialised on the Plas it was moments before Martha and Mickey came out of the Hub and were through the creaky doors with joyful shouts._

_There was much hugging and happiness and “oh you look well!” and then Martha turned to Jack._

_“How are you?” she said, lowering her tone like a... well.. like a doctor._

_“All the better for seeing you Martha Jones...” he batted back at her with a grin and she hugged him again, until Mickey told them that it was probably enough._

_And Jack really was much better. It had been rough going for a while, but over the centuries that he had lived he had been through some very rough times, just never ones as a child. The Doctor had been patient and having Ianto and Rose there, with something really intricate to concentrate on had really helped. Then when Bastian was born he began to see for himself just how joyful and precious life was._

_The nightmares were infrequent, not completely gone, but manageable and the double entendres were back... with gusto._

_“Where's the baby?” asked Mickey and everyone turned to look at Rose's flat belly. Martha and Mickey had become so used to her being pregnant that they hadn't noticed that she wasn't._

_“I'll fetch him,” The Doctor announced proudly and whisked off down the corridors._

_“How's Gwen?” Rose asked while they were waiting._

_“As big as a house... she has a craving for liquorice to the point where Rhys has to monitor her or she eats it until she throws up!” Martha giggled, she was in awe of Rose, she looked amazing, obviously the Doctor was looking after her very well._

_“Meet Bastian...” The Doctor's voice drifted in from the doorway to the corridor and Martha and Mickey swooped around cooing and clucking until Bastian began to laugh at their idiotic faces._

_“Man... he's a pretty one and that's for sure... got a great deal of the Tyler looks... I had visions of him with ruddy great sideburns...” Mickey teased, tickling Bastian's toes._

_“Oi!” The Doctor tried to look offended but he was in too good spirits to let Mickey's comments bother him. Martha dug at Mickey with her elbow and put her hands out to Bastian, fingers twitching. Bastian fluttered his eyebrows at her, grinned and virtually threw himself into her arms._

_“Chip off the old block!” Mickey snorted, he just couldn't resist._

_It had been a lovely break, Rose took Bastian to visit Gwen who was housebound as her ever developing bump restricted her somewhat. Bastian had charmed her too._

_All too soon the break was over and, much to Jack's upset, Ianto decided to stay on a bit longer. His brother was going through a gruelling treatment regime and The Hub was in a terrible mess left to Martha and Mickey's dubious housekeeping. Not only that he really wanted to be around for Gwen._

“Stand down Captain... we don't need you injecting some negativity into this mix... this Telepathic link we're all building could be ruined from one flippant snap. I'm sorry that Ianto decided to stay with his sick brother, but it's not forever, is it?”

Jack looked suddenly contrite, “I'm sorry... I just miss him and I thought my days playing gooseberry to you might be done..”

“Jack, you're not a gooseberry... we have a tot on board and another on the way... besides, I honestly don't think Ianto can go too long before needing to see you!” Rose interjected rubbing his arm.

“I set up the intergalactic face-time... that's working, right?” The Doctor managed to corner Bastian as they talked. The toddler squealed and wriggled to get free but was caught firmly in his father's arms.

“Oh, yeah... every night, but it's not quite the same as... well...as human touch...” Jack said, his handsome mouth twisting into a wry grin. The Doctor rolled his eyeballs and Rose flushed a perfect shade of pink.

“And that's not an image I really want to have in my head, Jack...” The Doctor sighed. Jack looked pleased with himself and went to carry on with whatever he had been working on.

Bastian, having wriggled free of his father's arms was now fiddling with buttons on the console.

“Bastian...” he warned but stopped. Bastian's fingers were moving across the keyboard like lightening, complicated coordinates rising from his finger tips and appearing on the screen. The Doctor donned his specs and pulled the monitor to him, watching his small son's workings out.

Jack pulled himself back up and stood by Rose watching the pair working together. Bastian stopped and grinned at his father. “Go Papa...” he said clearly and the Doctor immediately pulled the handbrake and the whole TARDIS juddered, spun around very quickly so they were thrown to the floor and then suddenly stopped.

They all sat up, Bastian, safely in his father's arms, giggled delightedly, “Again! Again!” he chirruped.

“What the hell happened then?” asked Jack, helping Rose up.

“We're here...”

“Here?” asked Rose, eyebrows knitting together.

“Yup... Bastian worked out the missing link to the coordinates we've been working on... he's been reading our heads...”

The Doctor walked down the ramp and opened the doors. It was much the same as it had been for weeks, a starry sky with occasional large meteors floating by. However, there were misty wisps of gas drifting in the abyss and the black was much more a bluey purple. There was some kind of light coming from somewhere more than the two moons in the distance.

“You mean...?” Rose said, standing beside him, looking out.

“I mean, this is where the bridge will be built. We've found the exact, right spot...we're almost there, Rose...” He didn't have to look at her face to know that her eyes were glazed with tears of joy.


	19. Chapter 19

Rose was standing naked again in their bedroom. She had just had a long luxurious bubble bath and was studying her developing body. 

It didn't seem like two minutes since she had had Bastian and yet, here she was again, with a rounded stomach and breasts that actually still lactated for Bastian.

_“They'll stimulate one another... The way you've been talking you'd have Bastian in puberty before you even considered trying for another!”_

_“It's not the trying that I mind, Doctor, I love the trying... it's the one year pregnancy... it's so hard to carry a child for that long, my body was barely up to it even with all you did.”_

_“I could loom the baby, all I would need is a fertilised egg?”_

_“Oh no! I think that sounds so... so unnatural!” He didn't argue that point._

_“Now we know what your body can take, how a pregnancy effects you; I can tweak all the supplements... design your care around helping you to carry more comfortably?”_

_“Every human pregnancy is different, Doctor, just because I've carried before, it doesn't mean I'll carry the same, it's not an exact science.” The Doctor looked so puzzled by this statement that she almost burst out laughing,“You can't comprehend that, because Time Lord babies were loomed, and that made them an exact science!”_

_“In all fairness, I do prefer the natural way, even if it is a bit barbaric... but seeing you grow full with the fruit of my loins...”_

_“Our loins!” she interrupted somewhat vehemently._

_“Our loins... makes me feel very proud and very manly...” Again, she quashed the urge to laugh at him. "But you know I would never force you to do anything... nor trick you... Bastian was conceived the first time we ever... tried... and that was a misunderstanding, you didn't know how strong my Time Lord...”_

_“I get it Doctor... and I'll give it some thought, but here's the thing... if we do decide to have another this quickly, what had you in mind to make it easier and safer.... don't look at me like that... it was a very dodgy moment in Cardiff when the 456 took over and the TARDIS disappeared to safety, I could have...”_

_“You didn't!” he interrupted, looking so upset that she was instantly guilty for mentioning it._

There had been many discussions after that and it was actually Bastian who sealed the deal when they were exercising their telepathic bonds in an exhausting three way sensory over load. At least that is how Rose frequently found them.

Bastian's voice rarely had clarity at this point, in telepathy it was more a feeling that they got, sounds and colours, but rarely ever words. But this day, his voice was as clear as day.

_“When my sister comes, this will be very much easier for you Mama...” Rose immediately broke the triangular trance and glared at the Doctor._

_“You said no tricks!”_

_“That was nothing to do with me... Bastian has been practising reading timelines... now that's a timeline I have forbidden myself to look at, but he would hardly know about the consequences...”_

_They observed the tiny boy sitting still enjoying the tranquillity the one sided trance had left him in, a beatific smile adorning his angelic face._

_“Sister...?” Rose almost sobbed and the Doctor could sense her weakening. He nodded and smiled at her, waiting... _

And then the conversations and debatings were over and the Doctor locked himself away in his laboratory while he tweaked the supplements for her.

They didn't tell Jack and Ianto why they needed the break at Torion, just asked them sweetly if they would take care of Bastian, leaving a large number of expressed bottles in the freezer.

But Jack had winked at Rose as they left, making her blush crimson from the roots of hair to the tips of her toes.

It wasn't that their sex life was at all waning with Bastian about, but they had to choose their moments carefully and in order to conceive they needed to be free to do what they wanted whenever they wanted. Also their bond would be well tested too and with Bastian's senses getting stronger and stronger, they didn't want to accidentally spill over into his innocent mind.

_It was exciting, and Rose almost felt like she was a virgin on her wedding night as she got herself ready on that first evening. The Doctor walking around naked and happy and Rose in a little see-thru nightie shyly emerging from the bathroom._

_“That nightie leaves little to the imagination, it's virtually transparent.”_

_“Says you bouncing about in the all together!”_

_“Bouncing about? I do not... I... Oh! You mean...” He stopped and glanced down at the part that was, indeed, bobbing about in expectation of what was to... um... come. He grinned deeply, waggling his eyebrows up and down, his tongue escaping his mouth as it unconsciously tasted the hormones in the air._

They spent that week there in their room, catching up on a great deal of Rose and Doctor moments plus a few extra ones added in.

By the time they left, Rose was indeed pregnant and the Doctor was very pleased with himself.

This pregnancy had been completely different so far. There was no morning sickness for a start and Rose slept well every night. The Doctor was sure to take Bastian away when he awoke which suited them fine as they both needed much less sleep than Rose.

They didn't let on to Jack until they had to, at about six months, when Rose was beginning to show drastically and she couldn't, nor didn't want to hide it any longer.

They had visited Cardiff when she was in the early stages and since then she had been more and more reluctant to leave the TARDIS, which was understandable. The Doctor didn't mind, he was happy to stay developing the patterns for the bridge and teaching Bastian how to use his Time Lordliness (if there was even such a word!).

Jack had been surprised, so wrapped up in everything was he, that he hadn't even noticed how well Rose looked. He was thrilled and although his immediate instinct was to go and tell 'the gang', he understood (with pangs of disappointment) Rose's hesitance. 

When Gwen had her baby they popped back when it was a couple of months old, but Rose made the decision not to leave the TARDIS at all and anyone who wanted to see her would have to go to her. The Doctor was a little worried at this and reflected that maybe she might be suffering a little PTSD and in dealing with all Jack's problems he hadn't noticed.

_Mickey and Martha visited her first, wondering if something was very wrong with Rose but as soon as he saw her he understood completely._

_“Safest place for you to be is in here, Babe, plenty to do and no danger. Surprised His Nibs isn't bragging all over the place about it like last time.”_

_“Because I asked him not to... I'm about half way now and he respected that I wanted to tell you myself.”_

_Martha had said very little, remembering when she had been 'caring' for Rose and how angry the Doctor had been when they had frightened Bastian with an ultra sound. She felt completely out of her depth and wasn't sure what to say. _

_Later on the Doctor had sought her out, worried that Rose was showing symptoms of agoraphobia._

_“It would be nice if she felt the she could leave... be normal... but you aren't normal. I don't think it's onset agoraphobia, I think she's just being extra careful because of the life you lead. When she has the baby, I'm sure it will be completely different.” _

The Doctor had found some comfort in Martha's advice and concentrated on making the pregnancy as stress and trouble free as possible.

So when he walked in on her at eight months pregnant, completely naked and admiring her reflection in their huge mirror he was pleasantly surprised. She didn't notice him at first and it gave him the opportunity to study her.

She seemed at peace with it all, not worried and stressed as he feared and when she finally saw him through the reflection in the mirror she smiled.

“Peeping Tom!” she husked and he closed the gap between them very quickly, taking her in his arms and holding her tightly, “hey... what's the matter with you?”

“Nothing... I was a little worried about you... you know, becoming a TARDIS hermit... but you seem perfectly at ease... are you?”

“What are you talking about? I'm fine! 'TARDIS hermit?' Whatever next? Just because I want to batten down the hatches this time, doesn't mean I'm going loopy, Doctor and instead of worrying about it and bottling it up you should blinking well ask me!”

“I know... I'm sorry... you've just been through so much these past couple of years... it wouldn't be such a surprise if something had taken it's toll, would it?”

“Doctor, I'm happy, I'm healthy and you're looking after me in every way I possibly need.”

“Mmm... every way?” She understood the change in his tone almost before he spoke. 

“Well... I could maybe do with a little more attention in the bedroom department... you suddenly seem very overdressed... where is Bastian?”

“Oh, he's with Jack, they're working on their connection and me being there was interfering...” he said as he let go of her and shrugged off his jacket, kicked off his Converse and peeled off his tie.

She took a step back with an elfish grin, “my, you're a bit keen, aren't you?”

He stepped towards her, “who can blame me? Look at you!”

Indeed, she really did look resplendent, blooming and glowing and all those words associated with pregnancy, but for him there was far more. She was the epitome of Mother Nature. From her flawless skin and glossy hair to her full voluptuous body. There was everything and all to desire right there and he needed to prove this to her more often than they had been able of late.

Within seconds, he too was naked and approaching her as she backed up towards the bed.

“Go careful with me... I don't want to harm her...”

“She'll be fine... turn around...”

“What?”

“Turn around and get on the bed...”

Rose gulped, completely turned on by his authoritative tone and crawled onto the bed.

He climbed on the bed behind her, his hand gliding across her haunches and pulling her by her hips towards him.

“You wet for me, Rose?” he asked, bending over and whispering in her ear.

“Always...” she breathed back.

His fingers delved between them, seeking out the moisture from her and plunging them into her depths. She rewarded him with a moan and an involuntary push back.

Satisfied that she was as instantly ready for him as he was for her, he gathered and positioned himself.

“Ready?” he asked softly, sitting up on his knees and holding her hips.

“Oh yes...” she murmured and he entered her in one forceful stroke, catching her breath and delighting her in the places she needed to be delighted in.

It was no gentle ride and she trusted him completely not to hurt their child so let herself over to the feelings, let herself go with abandon, keening as he pulled her hips back to meet his every hard thrust.

It wasn't that they had never practised this position before, of course they had. They had been a couple for some time now, but this was something far more. The intensity of the feelings Rose was getting from this merging was magnified. Her sensors were in overdrive. The Doctor had manoeuvred this position as the safest and most comfortable way for both of them. He had not realised how much more this love making session was going to turn out. It seemed almost as if Rose had given out herself completely and tasting the air he realised that her hormones had been craving some carnal action. 

He found this more exciting than he could have predicted and let himself go wild for her. It was like they were one being and as he nudged at her psyche he was privileged to spill into her mind. It was musky and primitive and he moved faster within her, hard thrusting himself home.

They were building... building... building and then with wanton cries, like animals, they climaxed together him still pushing into her vibrating walls as he let himself go.

She collapsed on her side and he slid down beside her to face her.

“What was that?” she breathed, kissing him, touching their noses and foreheads together. 

“Fanfuckingtastic!” he breathed back, kissing her and pulling her into his arms.

Then they were rudely jolted out of their post coitus euphoria as Jack entered their heads.

_“When you asked me to come along, **not** to play gooseberry, I hadn't anticipated it was so you had a babysitter while you got up to each other in the bedroom. That asides, I quite enjoy hearing it... very fruity... Anyway, I think Bastian and I might have had another breakthrough, if you'd like to get decent and come and see?”_

Indeed, Jack's telepathy was improving daily and the Doctor made a mental note to put up some barriers both in their heads and within their bedroom as he sighed, slid out of bed and began to reluctantly dress, leaving his smiling and satisfied partner right there.


	20. Chapter 20

They dressed and wandered sheepishly down to the console room. They needn't have worried, Jack was submerged in what Bastian was doing. At first it seemed like he was just a toddler bashing away at the keyboard on the console willy nilly, but on closer inspection, the Doctor could make out that he was typing very fast in Gallifreyan, or at least a shorthand version of it.

He donned his specs and moved in closer to his son. On the screen there was a panoramic view of the constellation they were sitting in, the remains of Castaborous.

As he typed, the Doctor could make out little tendrils of wispy clouds that were building, like a spider web, across the starry sky. It was very gradual, so you would really have to be studying it closely for some time to see the difference, but it was actually slowly building.

“Bastian, that's rather brilliant... I see where you're headed with this, but surely, when it's done, we still won't have quite cracked how to break through to the other dimension without causing irreparable damage to the walls of reality?”

All three heard Bastian's little voice in their heads as he responded to his father's words.

“All will be well when Arcadia is found...”

The Doctor looked dumbfounded and Rose looked at Jack. “What's Arcadia?”

“The fallen city of Gallifrey, it was lost in the Time War... but that's impossible!” he answered, staring at the screen.

Bastian was still too young to explain himself but when asked all he could communicate was that all would be well when Arcadia was found.

Later on, Bastian took a break from his furious typing and did what normal toddlers do, had some food and took a nap.

“I don't get it, if it all rides on a long gone city, how can we build the bridge?” Rose asked the Doctor as the three of them sat down for a meal that Jack had cooked. Curry, with all the trimmings.

“It doesn't make sense, but because we had that message from Jackie, we know it works. Maybe Arcadia is out there somewhere... torn from the planet and lost... maybe I should be looking for that while Bastian continues on the bridge?” the Doctor said morosely, helping himself to a slice of naan, a pile of poppadoms and the largest of the bajhis.

“How long will it take?”

“It's taking shape fast, I'd say that he will have bridged the whole constellation in about four months... so I'd better get cracking with my search...”

The Doctor took to the Library and the Observatory and Rose continued with all the stuff she had been researching on keeping herself healthy, happy and comfortable. The yoga she had started in her first quadester was really helping her now as she reached her fourth. The Doctor being preoccupied with looking for the lost city was a blessing in a way. His interference didn't always help although she was sure to take the supplements he had developed for her. 

Jack was the carer amongst them, flitting from Bastian with his bridge building, to the Doctor and his fine searching and Rose, her own little project bubbling away inside her belly.

He didn't mind, although he was beginning to feel like Ianto, the quiet provider in the background and this made him miss his lover all the more.

He made very sure that they all had food and rest, insisting that they all sit and eat at least one meal a day together. Talking shop was banned from the table. And that in itself was hard, but nevertheless, Jack started with small talk and the other two followed suit. Bastian said very little, he wasn't ready for proper adult conversation and if he needed to say anything more than he physically could he would communicate in their heads.

The Doctor was making little headway, there were very few books written about the Time War and his very worn copy of 'A History of Gallifrey' had no information about the the end of his world and what happened to Arcadia.

Frequently at the end of an evening, Rose would come and sit in the library and watch him work. This would have a very calming effect on him and when he saw she was dropping off he would stop and they would go to bed.

Bastian worked hard, the bridge was a visible pattern across the sky, beautiful silver mandalas joining together to make a shimmering and twisting vortex from them to a point way beyond.

The Doctor was frustrated by this, said that if he didn't find Arcadia that trying to travel it would be like chasing a rainbow. Bastian, when asked, would just repeat that all would be well when Arcadia was found.

Days turned into weeks, weeks into months and pretty soon Rose was huge again and finding it hard to move about at all. The Doctor slowed his studies, getting ready for the birth, supporting Rose in her final stages.

Bastian's bridge was so detailed now that it looked almost like you could step out of the TARDIS doors and walk across it. The Doctor was very proud and though he had learnt many interesting facts up until the dreaded Time War, he felt a failure at his task by not at least succeeding in finding the remnants of Arcadia. More so, it was puzzling, because studying through his huge telescope there wasn't even a trace of anything from his home world floating about in the atmosphere. It was as if Gallifrey never existed. Or it had moved from it's coordinates, which was pretty nigh on impossible.

One morning Bastian suddenly stopped typing and looked hard at Jack.

“All right mate?” he asked, shocked at the seriousness on the little boys face.

“Arcadia is on the move... the bridge is done...” He sent the thoughts across the TARDIS and Rose woke to look into the Doctor's worried eyes.

“Arcadia is on the move? What does that even mean?” she said sitting up, a familiar tightening in her abdomen pulling her back.

“I have no idea... there's simply no trace... are you okay?” he was standing, getting dressed, ready to go and admire Bastian's handy work, but the look on Rose's face and the way she tensed her body, pulled him back.

“I've had a few contractions... wasn't sure if it was the real thing... am now...”

He gently pushed her back and produced his Sonic. They had done this before, they both knew what to do. What they didn't expect was Bastian coming through the door followed by a protesting Jack.

“Want to see too!” the little boy spoke out and Rose and the Doctor's eyes met across her swollen belly.

“I don't see any harm in it, not as if it's deeply traumatic this way, is it?” Rose said and Jack hovered in the doorway, not sure whether he was also welcome to stay.

As the Doctor prepared her stomach for the incision, feeling around for the best point of exit for their baby daughter there was a noise in the corridor, a kerfuffle coming from the console room.

The Doctor looked at Jack, alarmed. Voices could be heard, a particularly familiar voice ringing out.

“Where is she? What have you done with my daughter?”

“What?” The Doctor turned to the door as the familiar face of Jackie Tyler emerged from the corridor.

Jackie said very little, she just took in the moment of her arrival and, rolling up her sleeves, she was by Rose's side in next to no time.

Bastian happily climbed on to his grandmother's lap as if he had known her all his life and Jackie clutched him tight, tears in her eyes. Jack left them to find Pete and Tony looking a bit bewildered in the console room.

“What's going on?” Rose asked her mother, puzzled, but the Doctor stopped all conversation as he made the incision in Rose's stomach and all eyes turned to his handy work.

As the little head appeared through the small split in Rose's stomach, Bastian leaned forward to get a good view of his sister. The new baby opened her eyes and stared solemnly at her big brother.

Bastian smiled sweetly at her and said, “Hello Arcadia, welcome to the fambily...”


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Penultimate chapter!
> 
> I first started writing this series really rather torn myself all those years ago and writing here has been very cathartic. I will never completely mend from the tragedies I have endured in my life, but certainly this had helped me to come to terms with some of it. Thanks for taking the time to read me x

Arcadia was in Jackie's arms having had a good feed, a clean up and a soft, yellow baby grow put on. Rose was sitting fresh faced in her bed and Pete and Jackie were beside the bed. Jack had taken six year old Tony (with Bastian) off on a tour of the fantastic ship.

“It was very odd... I mean every year we've been coming here since you... since you went... and last year Pete decided to buy the cottage on the hill...”

“The little white one?” Rose gasped, remembering her dreams of doing exactly that in the three years she was stuck there... so she could wait in case the Doctor made it back to her.

“Yeah, so we've been spending time here in the dry season and last Christmas too... holidays and that...”

“What made you keep coming back here?” The Doctor asked and Jackie glared at him but answered the question looking at Rose.

“Something kept drawing me back, like something wasn't quite right... something wasn't quite finished. I had dreams... you were calling me... I... I dreamt he hurt you...” Again, another hostile look was directed towards the Doctor.

“We're fine, Mum... what happened?” Rose breezed over it, a nauseous pit in her stomach, knowing that she was going to have to tell her mother what had happened at some point.

“We were on the beach having our morning walk and all of a sudden the sky in front of us starts to ripple... Tony ran at it even though we shouted for him to stop. He disappeared... just like that. Well, no way was I going to let some ripple in the sky take my son, so I ran in after him...”

“I couldn't believe it... I was stood there for, oh, I don't know how long, felt like forever and then all of a sudden Jackie's head pops out of the sky in front of me and says 'come and see this'...” Pete said softly.

“It was so weird, we were sort of in Space, at the beginning of a cloudy rope-like pathway more then that though, it was like a spider's web, so intricately woven together with many symmetrical patterns and it went on for what seemed like miles... but right in the distance we could just make out a little blue rectangle and I knew... it took us a while to get here, but as we got nearer we could see I was right... it was the TARDIS...” Jackie said breathlessly.

“Bastian built the Bridge, you crossed into the Universe prime, Jackie.”

“And what exactly does that mean?” She stood and placed the baby gently in her daughter's arms then turned to him, hands on hips, a certain hostility he was familiar with bristling from every pore.

“Our babies wanted to meet their Granny...” he almost stammered.

“Typical you... leaving the hard work to somebody else...” Jackie's anger was bubbling below the surface and the Doctor was beginning to look a little uncomfortable, so Rose stepped in.

“Whatever's going on in your head Mum, save it for later, I don't want you spoiling this day... Arcadia's birthday and our reunion!”

Jackie looked at her daughter and her granddaughter and nodded a reluctant agreement.

It was some time later, when Arcadia was sleeping the sleep that only a newborn babe sleeps in its first few hours that Rose broached the subject with her mother... on their own. 

The Doctor had made a quip about their ever growing family, relaxing into his contentment, trusting that Jackie was just grateful to see her daughter again.

All of a sudden Jackie had decked him one and he staggered backwards on the impact. Pete grabbed her, shocked.

“Mum! What the bleedin' hell do you think you're doin'?”

“It's all right, Rose... I had it coming... your Mum's not backward when it comes to intuition... I made a mistake, Jackie, as soon as I realised...”

“You left that room in total chaos, Doctor... something so awful happened there... I've spent these past two years worrying myself sick...”

“There was no time... I had to save her...”

“You didn't clean up the mess?” Rose looked at the Doctor, dumbfounded.

“There was no time... I'm so, so sorry...” The Doctor whispered, all the guilt swarming back to him as if the circumstances of that day had been just the day before.

“Well, as soon as Jackie called I had my forensic team take that room apart, it was very evident what had happened there, by and to whom.” Pete's added softly, the pain of the memory quite evident on his face.

“I need to speak to Mum on my own... is that okay?” she addressed the Doctor softly and he suddenly looked even more ancient and haggard, but he nodded, getting up and making his way towards the door, the walk of a condemned man. Pete followed without a word, he knew all, or most, of the blanks would be filled in by his wife whether he needed to hear them or not.

“It wasn't him...” Rose said after a long meet with those familiar sapphire orbs.

“Well... back then, on that beach, he was very quick to tell you the exact opposite...”

“He was wrong... really very wrong... as soon as he sensed my distress he came back...”

“Too little too late, though... my poor baby...” Jackie's voice broke, she went to touch Rose's face, but Rose flinched back from her, not wanting to open her wounds to her mother.

“If he hadn't of come back, you would have got up to my dead body, Mum... that would have been too late... he saved me...”

“The mess that room was in, Rose, doors torn off hinges, broken mirrors, blood and gawd knows what everywhere, chunks of your hair... the clothes you were wearing were ripped to shreds... the rest of them were left... I had no reason to believe you were alive!”

“But you knew I was... Yeah, that... that thing was angry and violent and he hurt me in the worst of ways... but the Doctor came back for me... he healed me, and I healed him right back, cos you see, finding me like that, knowing and seeing what that monster had done broke him far more than it broke me. I was scared of him at first, true, of that face, but after time, I realised that he was the man I love...” 

“You forgave him?”

“He would never do anything like that, it wasn't him, just someone who used his face, how can I forgive someone whose only crime was leaving me where he thought I was safest? He committed no crime to forgive. That monster tried to break everything that ever mattered to us, he nearly succeeded... but he didn't...”

“And what happened to him?”

“The Doctor disposed of him...”

“Killed him?” Rose didn't answer, she didn't want to say the words out loud and after a beat, Jackie nodded, satisfied that version of the man who had hurt her daughter could never do it again. “And I'm supposed to forgive him, just like that?”

“You do forgive him, Mum, it might take time, but you do accept him into your life, we visit regularly, you get to see Bastian and Arcadia and any other children we might have all the time... I love him, Mum... I've always loved him and I'm happy... I'm so sorry that you had to worry all this time... about the mess we left behind us, but the Doctor's only mistake was believing that someone who looked like him was like him and he's more than made up for it in the three years since it happened.”

“You can't just get over something like that, it takes years of therapy!”

“I didn't say I was over it, but I am at peace with it. The Doctor supports me and I support him. We're happy and together. This is our happily ever after. We both went through hell to get here, but got here we have. Think about this happy ever after you have, didn't you go through your own version of hell to get here too? Twenty years without him and losing him so violently, but here you are!”

“He didn't attack me...”

“I said to the Doctor a while back... in this life we lead, we meet many monsters... come up against so many dangers and sometimes we get hurt... or worse... I got hurt by one of those monsters... but it's been my choice to be part of this dangerous life. And recently Jack has been through something so horrific that it nearly broke him too and we've supported him through it... he'll never completely mend, never forget. In a way these dreadful things that happen to us in life, become part of who we are, not defining us, necessarily, but making us empathetic, making us human. I know or have heard of people who go through terrible things... being widowed when their life together has just begun... the loss of a limb... people who've been attacked, like me... of innocents being abused... the loss of a child... many of us are torn... but most of us survive. We continue.”

“You're so brave, Rose... it must have been hard living with that face, looking at that face after what it put you through...”

“And there's another thing, Mum... see, there's something else about this extraordinary life that's taught me. It isn't about the face... Oh, I love this face, that's true, just as I loved the last one... and... I shall love the next... my love is for the person within... that person remains essentially the same and I'm bonded to the Doctor forever as the Doctor is bonded to me.”

“When did you become so wise?” There were tears in Jackie's eyes as she listened to her daughter's words.

“Life... it teaches you.. living with the Doctor... being brought up by you... it all counts to the person I have grown in to.”

There was a long pause as Jackie searched her daughter's face. They were sitting in the library, in front of the fire side by side on the sofa. Jackie reached up, and this time, she was allowed to stroke her daughter's face. Rose's eyes fluttered and closed briefly and then she stared back into the penetrating and questioning eyes of her mother.

Then with a sigh, she turned into her arms. They settled down into a comfortable position and Rose began to tell her mother what she needed to hear and what she needed to tell her.

_“I felt some thing wasn't quite right on that beach...”_


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so, this ends, I really hope you enjoyed visiting and sharing this couples adventures, thanks for reading X

That beach was always quiet, the odd dog walker in the distance, but on the whole they always had it to themselves. Pete never let on that he owned that whole coast line encompassing Bad Wolf Bay and it would be his grown up son, Tony, that would discover it at the reading of his will many years later.

This day is no different as Jackie and Pete follow their excited boy down the sandy path and across the rocks.

It's warm for Norway and they've packed a fine picnic. Jackie finds the spot they usually settle at and they begin to spread the blanket while Tony sorts out the buckets and spades.

"She's not here!" says Jackie, looking at Pete.

"They will be," he replies calmly as he kneels down on the sand and begins to help Tony start on the sandcastle that will be a complete masterpiece before the day is out.

"I don't understand why it has to be now for them?"

"He's explained it all to you, Jacks, you just have to open up your mind and see that not everything always comes in the right order! We are here to form the link!"

"Yes, I know, it'll still be hard to keep it all in and not say anything!" 

Pete nods and smooths the sand down before turning the bucket over and making the first turret. 

Jackie stills as two figures began to materialise a few yards in front of them. "Pete!" she whispers as he stands up. Together they walk towards the hologram.

"Hi, Mum," Rose says with a sad and wistful smile. 

Jackie's eyes flicker over the two of them.

"Alright, sweetheart? Doctor... been looking after her?" she asks, her eyebrow raised. 

The Doctor grins a little sheepishly. 

"I'm sorry I left you without saying goodbye... so much has happened since then..." Rose's eyes dart from Jackie to Pete and then she gasps as Tony appears between his parents' elbows and looks at her, puzzled. "Oh, my God! How long has it been?" she asks, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Eight years."

"Oh! I'm sorry... so sorry!"

"Rose, why are you so upset?" asks the eleven year old boy.

"He... he remembers me? Knows me?"

"Tell 'em, Jacks," says Pete softly. Rose and the Doctor turn to Jackie in surprise and confusion.

"I have a message for you two."

"Who from?" asks the Doctor with that tone he uses when he's concerned that something could be very wrong.

"Well... from you!"

"Hold on, Jackie... be careful what you're saying!"

"You said you would say that! The truth is, you've been visiting us every month for the past six years. Birthdays, Christmas... seen all my grandchildren...whoops, "spoilers”, he said!"

"Mum!" says Rose trying to understand.

"Rose, it's fine... you'll see!"

"We haven't much time... what was the message?" asks the Doctor.

"The remnants of the Kasterborous Constellation, you must search there... you're fading!"

"Bye, Mum! I... I love you!"

"See you soon! Couple of years for you, Today for us! Love you too!"

As the couple disappear the familiar sound of the TARDIS accompanies them and the blue box appears where once they were.

The door creaks open and Bastian is the first out, he runs towards his grandparents and his uncle happily with enthusiastic shouts. He's nearly eight now and looks more and more like his father every day, same probing eyes, same impossible hair. Even his run is the same.

Pete rubs his spiky hair and Bastian counters it with a rugby tackle that sends them both to the sand laughing. Jackie smiles indulgently at them and even more so as she catches sight of her five year old granddaughter appearing at the door. 

“Granny!” she squeaks and Jackie looks a little sick, knowing that it's her son-in-law whose put her up to calling her that.

“Call me 'Nana' , sweetheart, where's your Mum?” 

Before Arcadia can reply, Rose wanders out of the TARDIS. She looks fantastic, her hair is longer and a little darker and she's wearing a pale blue, knee length sundress. Her feet are bare. She looks so young and so happy, she turns back to the open door as someone speaks to her.

“You wanted a big one, so you can wheel them out!” she smirks at her Mum who shakes her head as the double buggy appears through the door pushed by a very ruffled looking Time Lord.

The twins are sitting up excitedly waving their arms around and squeaking with delight, they know this place very well and the people waiting there for them.

The Doctor sighs at his ever expanding extended family and the tiny babe attached to his front in a sling sighs back. Her eyes open momentarily and meet his, he could swear on Rassilon's glove that her eyebrow tilts up at him but she shuts her eyes and returns to her dream-world almost immediately.

The twins, Theta and Sigma are out of the buggy and on each of their grandmother's hips in a trice and looking around them to see what antics their new fast walking can get them into today.

Bastian continues to build bridges all over the prime Universe and keeps telling his father he's on the verge of a big discovery but won't (or can't) divulge any more than that. He's tall and thin and his eyes look so wise. Doesn't stop him being a child, and he's often in the dog house for winding up his little sister.

Arcadia, just five, is gentle and kind, she worships her big brother and follows him around, which on the whole he doesn't mind, but occasionally he loses patience.

At this point, he turns exasperated to Arcadia as she happily dribbles a bucket of dry sand over his creation (a bridge made out of sand connecting two of Pete's intricate turrets together). 

She sees the look on his face and turns tail, squealing with delight when he ups and starts to chase her towards the sea. Her plump little legs are no match for his long, skinny ones and she briefly turns back to see how close he is.

“Bathtian no!” she wails as he swoops by her, making her lose her balance and she tumbles face first into the wet sand.

He checks she isn't hurt, although she's crying loudly at the indignancy of it all; and when he's satisfied she's okay, he turns and calls to his father, “Dad! Arcadia has fallen!”

The Doctor sighs again, turns to Rose who undoes the sling around his waist and takes their newborn from him.

“You said you wanted them to be normal children, Doctor, despite it all... this is normal, go on, go and get her and don't give him a hard time about it, not as if he tripped her, is it?”

He smiles at his beautiful wife and runs down to rescue his woebegone sand-covered child.

Pete is now chasing after the running twins and Jackie looks at her daughter with a smile.

“Let's have a cuddle then...” Rose hands over the baby and Jackie blinks back tears.

“Look, he doesn't read our timelines, it's something he promised himself a long time ago... neither Arcadia nor Bastian told us when, we contacted you as soon as she came.”

“It's fine Rose, she's beautiful, looks just like her mum...” The baby opens her eyes and stares solemnly at her grandmother

“Yeah, she looks like Arcadia did, doesn't she?” They glance down at the beach where Arcadia is hugging her daddy as he tries to wipe the sand from her mouth. The wailing has stopped, but by the looks of it, she's going to need a change of clothes already.

Arcadia is like a mini tornado whisking in and out of rooms, knocking things over and getting herself into all sorts of scrapes. She's a 'little jeopardy friendly' says the Doctor fondly when Rose moans about the latest broken piece of china and that usually makes her smile. She's as bright as her brother though and they are a perfect match for each other in the newly grown classroom.

Lessons are from about three in the morning until breakfast, so Rose is still fast asleep while it goes on. Just as well, she would feel completely lost and entirely inadequate if she witnessed the goings on behind that particular door. I hasten to add she is neither of those things.

“So... you done now then?” Jackie asks tentatively and gets a frozen look from her daughter.

“Honestly, I think he would carry on forever... thinks he can repopulate the entire Time Lord race from my womb! But, every time we have a conversation about it, he suggests looming and that just sounds so wrong!”

“I agree from, what you've told me, he's even said he doesn't really like that method, hasn't he?”

“Yeah, I think he knows that I'll agree to anything bar that... but he can't give me any guarantees about multiple pregnancies and you saw how uncomfortable I was with the twins!”

“Bedridden for six months with two tots to look after... think I spent more time with your family than I did with Pete and Tony! Not that I mind, lovely to spend time at yours with the babes and to be there at that birth was amazing! What you decided on calling her after?”

“She's Freya... Arcadia was insistent about that... it's sweet...”

“Yeah... very human...” Rose nods and smiles at her mother holding her new born daughter. “You don't look like you just had a baby, Rose, in fact you don't look like you have any children at all, let alone five! What's your secret?”

“Think it must be a life living in the TARDIS, it's sort of timeless in there...” Rose murmurs, thoughts of a conversation about a human trampoline filling her head and a tiny suspicion about the added supplements the Doctor has been giving her planting a seed in her mind. Jackie accepts this, making a joke about trying to bottle the atmosphere in there and market it.

“And you're okay, though?” A dark look crosses both their faces as if the shadow of that beast has passed over them.

“Every time I see you, you ask... and every time I tell you the same... I understand that it haunts you, it always will in a way... but if you let it effect us... all of us, then he's won and honestly, he's not worth even remembering. It was a horrible moment in what is going to be a long, very happy and fulfilling life... please, if I can move on from it, then so must you!” Jackie nods, kissing Freya's little head, her eyes a little glazed with raw pride in her daughter's strength.

Then they are interrupted as the rest of the tribe converge on the picnic blanket and food is served and eaten.

This cheers up Arcadia no end and after she has had her fill she asks, very sweetly, if she can hold her baby sister.

The baby is rested in her arms and she begins to rock gently, singing a sweet song.

_“Oh, my little one...   
My sister...   
My friend...   
I will take care of you and mind you every day..._

_Oh, my little one...   
My sister...   
There is no end...   
We will always be together come what may..._

_Oh, my little one...   
My sister...   
This message I send...   
Together united Arcadia and Gallifrey...”_

The Doctor lets out a gasp and Rose's eyebrows knit together in confusion. Arcadia looks up, smiling at her parents.

“Arcadia... what does that song mean?” he asks her sharply.

“We're together for time, we're a family, but she's my sister... my only sister... forever...”

“I get that... well... most of it... no more girls... right... but what about the bit about Arcadia and Gallifrey being united?”

“Don't be silly, Daddy... I'm Arcadia and I told told you... she's Gallifrey...”

“You said Freya...”

“That's what _we_ call her... but she's really called Gallifrey... it suits her, don't you think?”

The Doctor is speechless, his mouth opening and closing like a goldfish in its bowl, until Rose begins to laugh and it's suddenly very infectious, they all join in. The Doctor joins last, he's pale and a little disturbed but a little blossom of hope has sprigged with Arcadia's song.

_The children born of these two will continue to surprise them for many more years to come. It will be a chaotic and happy life aboard their good ship TARDIS and the Doctor and Rose Tyler will live a very long and very happy life together. _


End file.
